Socializing
by imaginus75
Summary: Alex is introduced to Olivia's and Abbie's secret world.


Name: Imaginus75

Email:

Title: SOCIALIZING

Disclaimer: I don't own Olivia, Alex, Elliot or Abbie. Cheryl, Niki and all other characters came from the dark recesses of my mind…any resemblance to real people or places are purely coincidental.

Fandom: Law & Order: SVU

Pairing: Alex/Olivia

Summary: Alex is introduced to Olivia's and Abbie's private world.

Spoiler or Other Information: I used dialogue from "Pique". Some scenes/dialogue were inspired by "The Big Easy", "The L Word" and "Kids". A BIG thanks to those who have allowed me to bounce ideas off of them.

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SOCIALIZING – Pt. 1

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"Are you getting bored with the scenery?" Detective Olivia Benson asked into the receiver as she sat back in her chair and propped her feet up onto the edge of her desk.

"God, yes!" came the husky reply from the other end of the line. "I'm in dire need of some socializing after the week I've had."

"And by socializing, you mean..." Olivia said with a smirk and waited.

"Loud music, good tequila and a hard fuck," ADA Abbie Carmichael answered with her trademark Texas twang.

"That's my girl," the detective said with a broad smile. "Come on over at seven. I'll make the reservations. We'll go for dinner and then find ourselves some socializing. See ya tonight."

Olivia hung up the phone to catch the tail end of whatever it was her partner was saying to the blonde ADA standing beside their desks.

"...you can socialize with Olivia and Abbie, you know, girl's night out," Detective Elliot Stabler was saying with a grin.

"It's alright, I don't want to intrude," ADA Alex Cabot, SVU's new ADA declined politely.

She had been working with the SVU squad for about six months now but the squad had been slow to warm up to her. She couldn't really blame them after the psychological evaluations they had to go through and the scrutiny they had to deal with from the brass. It would've been easy to view her as the "outsider" sent in to keep the "problem children" in check. But she did her best to show them through her work that they were all on the same side and fighting for the same thing - to put the bad guys away and fight for justice for the victims. Their professional relationship was mutually respectful although not without some arguments every now and then, which was common between colleagues. However on the personal side, they kept to themselves even though every once in awhile, she'd receive an invite to join them for drinks after work. But those invites were few and far in between.

Olivia felt a strange twinge in her gut and gave her partner a quick glare that was unnoticed by everyone else but him. "No, not at all. We were just going to go out for dinner and then for drinks afterwards. Raise the estrogen levels after being surrounded by all this testosterone all week."

"Are you sure?" the blonde attorney asked, not wanting to be invited out of pity or polite obligation.

"Yeah," Olivia replied and scribbled her address on a piece of paper. She handed it to the ADA. "Come over around seven. We're going for southern barbeque for dinner, so dress casual."

"Thanks," Alex said, taking the paper and gave Olivia a shy smile. "By the way, I just came by to share the news that Simon Brown pled out on the abduction case you guys worked last week."

"That's good news," Olivia said with a smile. "We'll drink to that tonight."

"Ok. See you tonight," Alex replied and turned to leave.

Elliot turned from his view of the retreating ADA's backside to face his partner who picked up a pencil and threw it at him. He raised his arms to block the projectile and grinned.

"What?"

"'Girl's night out'? What the fuck, El?" the brunette asked.

"What? She seems like she needs to loosen up and have some fun," Elliot defended himself.

"And you felt the need to volunteer me to do it?"

"Why not? You and Abbie seem to have a great time when you guys go out."

"Do you even - " Olivia began but then bit her tongue. She wasn't going to have this conversation in the squad room. She got up from her chair and started to put on her black wool coat. "I'm hungry and you're buying me a hotdog."

The partners left the stationhouse and walked across the street to their favorite hotdog vendor. Elliot bought them a hotdog each and they began to eat as they slowly made their way back to the station house.

"Elliot, do you have any idea where it is Abbie and I go when we go out?" Olivia asked him after swallowing a bite.

"You just said earlier - dinner and drinks," he replied, wiping some mustard from the corner of his mouth.

"Do you know where we go for drinks?" she asked him with raised eyebrows.

"How the hell am I supposed to know? A bar, a nightclub? I don't know where single women go to have fun," Elliot said, exasperated by his partners questions.

"We go to a gay club," Olivia informed him and he stopped in his tracks.

"Come again?" he asked after swallowing his mouthful of hotdog.

"We go to a gay club," she repeated. "An underground. Gay. Club." She stressed the words for their full affect.

"But you're not...are you? Abbie too?" Elliot asked, his head starting to spin over the revelation.

Olivia raised her eyebrows, smiled her crooked smile and nodded her head. "I am."

"But you dated guys. You slept with Cassidy!" her partner tried to reason.

"Doesn't mean anything," Olivia answered him and saw he was in denial. "Elliot, I like women too."

Elliot nodded his head but she could tell he wasn't fully absorbing what she told him.

"And Abbie?"

"She goes for the music and drinks," Olivia answered him. It was not her place to out her friend.

"How?...When?...How?" Elliot muttered, still absorbing what his partner had just revealed to him. "Underground gay club?"

"Apparently it's a bit much for you to comprehend right now, I can tell," Olivia said with a smirk. "Look, the reason why it's underground is because it's private. Members only, and if you're not a member, you can only enter if you're with a member. It ensures privacy for those of us who don't want to broadcast our preferences or who have public careers."

"So I guess prancing in there with the new ADA isn't exactly an option," Elliot finally understood.

"Yeah, no," Olivia confirmed. "So now we're gonna have to find somewhere else to go. That oughta be fun."

"Liv, I'm sorry, I wouldn't have invited her - " Elliot started to apologize.

"El, it's okay. You didn't know," Olivia assured him and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

Olivia added with a hint of mischievousness, "Besides, it'd be interesting to find out what the ADA is like with a few drinks in her."

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Later that night

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"You're shitting me, right?" Abbie whined, walking through Olivia's apartment and dropping down onto the couch.

"Elliot thought that she might enjoy a night out with us," the detective explained, closing the door.

"I'm so gonna rip his balls off with my bare hands," Abbie threatened as she stretched out her long leather clad legs and draped her bare arms along the back of the couch. She wore black leather pants and a dark blue tank top.

Olivia, wearing jeans and a red sleeveless v-neck satin top, laid down on the love seat adjacent to the couch, her legs draped over one armrest. "It's okay, Abbie, he didn't know where we were planning on going."

"So what are we going to do? Where are we going to go?"

"Dinner plans won't change," Olivia began. "But we do need a new venue for entertainment afterwards."

"Well, Jimmy's BBQ Shack has a bar beside the restaurant," Abbie suggested.

"We'll see how that goes," Olivia shrugged. "We can always just wander down the street to the other bars too."

"I guess," Abbie agree reluctantly.

"Look, we'll get a feel for how open minded she is over dinner, okay?" Olivia suggested.

"Cabot just seems so uptight she makes Rush Limbaugh look like a Democrat," Abbie said. Then she turned back to her whining mode and alternately stomped both feet rapidly.

"Olivia, I just wanna get laid tonight!" Abbie exclaimed as the door buzzer announced Alex's arrival.

Olivia stood up and playfully kicked Abbie's feet on her way to let Alex up. "Come on, Carmichael, just pretend to be straight for a few more hours."

"Fuck me," Abbie replied, laying her head back and closing her eyes.

"I would, but you're not my type," Liv replied and opened the door, waiting for Alex to come up.

"Oh, but I was once upon a time," Abbie teased with a grin, eyes still closed.

"What can I say, I was young and naive," Olivia retorted.

"How is it that of all the women I've slept with, you're the only one who not only didn't throw a drink in my face, but have become my best friend?" Abbie asked honestly.

"Because I was the only one not looking for a relationship," Olivia told her. "All your other girlies were."

"Funny, the common ties that bind us," the brunette said and chuckled.

"Hey, Alex, come on in," Olivia greeted the blonde approaching her doorway.

"Thanks," Alex said and came into the apartment. "I know you said casual but I wasn't sure how casual. Is this okay?" The blonde was wearing hip hugging designer blue jeans and a white and blue patterned satin halter top.

"Perfect," Olivia said with a wink.

"Hey, Alex," Abbie called out, as she rolled her head over to look at the blonde.

"Hi Abbie," Alex answered. "Thanks for letting me tag along."

It suddenly became clear to Olivia that for all the commanding presence the ADA brought with her whenever she entered the squad room or interrogation room, Alex Cabot was shy and nervous like a teenage girl trying to fit into the crowd at a new school.

"Nonsense," Olivia tried to assure her. "It's good to have you join us and hopefully we can all get to know one another better."

"Besides, I'm so tired of dealing with Jack and Arthur all day, everyday, I need some female companionship to raise my estrogen levels," Abbie added as she got off the couch to join the other two.

"Shall we go?" Olivia asked. As the two lawyers nodded, the three women made their way from the apartment to catch a cab to the restaurant.

In the cab, Alex was informed of the unofficial rules for the girls' night outings. They were allowed to discuss work only to gain different perspectives and points of views that they may not have taken into consideration; they were allowed to discuss any conflicts they may have with colleagues so that they could help each other find ways to resolve the issues; it was permitted to meet new people, socialize, get phone numbers and have a good time, but under no circumstances was any one of them to leave the other to go home with a stranger; they were to watch each other's backs.

When they got to the restaurant, it was already crowded, busy and loud. They met the hostess at the front who knew them by name and led them to a booth. Abbie sat on one side while Olivia and Alex shared the other side. It was apparent to Alex that her two companions frequented the establishment.

"Tell me you're a carnivore, Alex," Abbie said to the blonde after they ordered their drinks.

"I am," Alex said with a smile.

"Good," the Texan replied and took the menu away from the blonde. "We'll order the platter we usually get. Trust me, you'll like it."

"Okay," Alex answered and sat back.

Olivia smiled. "The thing you'll learn about Carmichael is that when it comes to all things Texas, you just have to sit back and let her take charge."

"What can I say, I'm a control freak," Abbie admitted.

"Isn't everyone?" Alex asked and the other two women laughed.

The waitress brought their drinks out and after she left, Abbie raised her beer and the other two followed suit.

"Here's to the beginning of something beautiful," she said and winked at the two women across the table. They clinked their beer bottles together and drank to the toast.

Over dinner, they shared stories from childhood to high school through to college; stories of first jobs and worst jobs; who they were in high school and college and how much they had changed over the years. Alex, as Olivia and Abbie had suspected, was a "trust fund kid", however she had never touched any of the funds she was entitled to. She wanted to make her own way in the world and didn't want to feel like she was owned by anyone's money, not even her family's. The only thing she accepted was an apartment left to her by her maternal grandmother. The apartment had been in her mother's family for generations.

"I just figured that if I made my own living, my own life, no one could tell me how I'm supposed to live my life, and I don't have to hear things like 'A Cabot would never do

that' or "A Cabot must always do such and such'," Alex explained. "Believe me, I have many cousins living up to the Cabot name, and whenever we gather at the 'Cabot Compound' as I like to call it, I can see that there's something lacking in their eyes."

"A spark," Olivia said, looking straight into Alex's eyes. The detective knew of the spark.

She'd seen the spark many times, and every time, she was drawn to that spark more than she cared to admit.

"Yeah," Alex agreed and smiled.

Abbie, sensing a spark in Olivia's own eyes decided to diffuse the situation. She knew Olivia was too calm and collected to betray her own feelings, but she also knew the power of Olivia's gaze. It was still too early in the evening to test those waters, she decided.

"You girls want to head over to bar?" she asked, indicating the doorway leading from the restaurant area to the bar area.

"Sure," Alex and Olivia agreed. They settled their bill and headed over to the bar which was packed. Some were sitting at tables and booths watching a basketball game on the TVs while others were dancing on the dance floor to some country rock music. The three women found themselves some vacant bar stools at the bar and Abbie ordered them a round of tequila shots. When the shots were poured, they counted to three and downed their shots in unison. Alex made a face.

"Not your poison?" Olivia asked.

"It's just been awhile since I've done this," Alex said, shaking her head.

Olivia gave her a grin. "Hang out with us long enough, you'll get used to it, counselor."

"God I hate this music," Abbie said, handing them each a bottle of beer.

"But you're from Texas," Alex said.

"Exactly," Abbie replied and took a swig of her beer. "I grew up, inundated with so much of this crap that it'll last me a few lifetimes."

"Excuse me, can I buy you a drink?" came a low voice from behind them. They turned around to find a guy in jeans, a black t-shirt and black cowboy hat looking at Alex.

"I already have one, but thanks," Alex answered.

"Do you want to dance?" He was clearly interested in the blonde lawyer.

"No, thank you, I'm here with my friends," Alex turned him down again.

"I've got friends for your friends," the guy tried again.

"Hey, buddy, we're just here to have a good time," Abbie interrupted.

"Come on, one dance?" he asked Alex, ignoring Abbie.

"No," Alex said firmly but not all together coldly.

"Your friends can take care of themselves," he insisted. "Just one dance."

"Listen, she said 'no'," Olivia said, standing up and positioning herself so that she could step in between Alex and the cowboy if she had to.

"I'm not talking to you, bitch," he said, irritated and embarrassed at having been turned down repeatedly. At that, Olivia took a step and faced him, her back to Alex. She squared her shoulders.

"Listen, bitch," Olivia said, accentuating the second word. "I'm a cop and those two are Assistant DA's. Do you really wanna do this?" She stared straight into his eyes and raised an eyebrow. Without breaking eye contact, she raised the beer bottle to her lips and took a drink.

"Fuck this, ain't worth it," he said, shaking his head and turned and left.

Olivia returned to her barstool. Abbie took a drink from her bottle. "God I love it when you use that line."

"Works every time," Olivia said with a smile.

"Bitch," Abbie mimicked Olivia's use of the word and chuckled.

"Thank you," Alex said quietly to Olivia.

"You're welcome," Olivia said and playfully nudged the blonde's shoulder with her own.

"That's why I hate going to these places," Abbie said. "Shitty music and dickhead cowboy wannabees."

"Well, is there somewhere else we can go?" Alex asked, eager for a change of scenery and music as well.

Olivia looked at Abbie and raised an eyebrow. Abbie raised an eyebrow of her own. Olivia gave an almost imperceptible nod. Abbie replied with a move of her eyebrow that said "Your call".

"What's going on?" Alex asked, watching the exchange between the two.

"Well," Olivia said hesitantly, "there is one place."

"Okay..." Alex said, waiting for the detective to continue.

"It's got better music," Olivia continued.

"And definitely better scenery," Abbie said, unable to stop herself. She looked at Olivia who gave her a surprised look and she laughed.

"What's going on, you guys?" Alex asked, confused as to what the inside joke was the other two were sharing.

Abbie put her arm around Alex's shoulder. "Cabot, we're gonna take you to a different world."

"Okay..." Alex said, trying to decide if maybe the drinks were already starting to affect her companions.

"Come on, let's go," Olivia said and three women left the bar to hail a cab.

As they climbed into the cab, Abbie gave the driver the address and the three women settled into the back seat.

"Where are we going?" Alex asked, her curiosity growing.

"You'll see," Olivia said.

"Cabot, they're gonna eat you up," Abbie said and looked at Olivia and the two burst out laughing.

"Come on you guys," Alex said, and started to feel uneasy as her mind started to wander and her thoughts grew dark, an occupational hazard.

"Trust us?" Abbie asked her.

"Kinda hard to when you won't tell me where we're going," Alex said, her uneasiness apparent.

Olivia leaned over and whispered into Alex's ear. "It's a private nightclub. Don't worry, we're out to have fun. No one's gonna get hurt." As she whispered the words, her lips brushed against Alex's ear and Olivia had to fight the urge for more contact.

Alex heard Olivia's soft voice and reassuring words and she relaxed almost instantly.

However, the feeling of the detective's warm breath against her skin, and the slight touch of her lips against her ear sent a sudden electric surge through Alex's body. She had never felt anything like it before.

Soon, the taxi pulled onto a deserted street lined with closed warehouses. It pulled up to the address that Abbie had given the driver and the women got out. Alex stepped out onto the sidewalk and looked at the building. A sign read "Martin Wholesalers" over the brown wooden double doors. On the door was the building number - 212.

Olivia pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number.

"Liv and Abs Carson. We brought a long lost twin," Olivia said into the phone and paused for a few seconds and hung up. She walked over to the double doors and pushed a black faceplate up on a security keypad beside the doors. She punched in a five digit code and pulled the door open. Abbie and Alex walked through the doors and Olivia followed behind after closing the door. To Alex's surprise, it was brightly lit inside and there were two concrete staircases, one going up, the other going down.

Abbie led the way with Alex and Olivia in tow. They went down the stairs and then along the long hallway. At the end of the hall, Alex could make out another door and then a mirrored window beside the door. "Two way glass," Alex thought. "Why all the security?"

As the women approached the end of the hall, the door opened and a tall muscular bald man with a goatee came out.

"Lucas," Abbie said and gave him a hug. He smiled and hugged her back. He released her and waved Olivia over and they exchanged hugs.

"Lucas, we've found our long lost twin sister," Olivia told him with a smile. "Lexi."

"Nice to meet you, Lexi," the burly man said, holding out his hand. Alex took it and gave him a firm handshake. "Come on through, ladies, and Lexi, I'm going to need your driver's license to scan for our records."

Alex looked at Olivia who nodded and she handed Lucas her license as they walked into the room. Facing them, from behind the security desk was Lucas's twin brother, Kevin. Behind him were numerous security monitors. Kevin took the license from his brother and took a scan of it and handed it back to Alex. Lucas walked over to the right of the room where there was another door. "Right this way, ladies," he guided them and opened the door. Abbie pushed the black curtain aside and Alex felt the vibration from the music engulf her.

Alex was in silent awe as she took in the sight before her. She looked around and saw women sitting and drinking in the part of the room closest to them and along the perimeter of the room; at the bar in the middle of the room, the bartenders were women; there were women dancing on the dance floor beyond the bar; she looked up at the far end and saw a balcony where women were talking and other women were kissing. In the far back right corner, she saw the DJ , also a woman. There were even a couple of female go-go dancers on stages against the left and right walls of the dancing area.

"Welcome to two-twelve," Abbie said to Alex. "The premium, private, lesbian bar in Manhattan."

Abbie and Olivia ushered Alex through the crowd. As they made their way to the bar, Abbie and Olivia would wave or say hi to some of the women they passed.

They ordered their drinks and found a vacant table and armchairs near the bar with a front row view of the dance floor. As soon as they sat down, a tall woman with short platinum blonde hair wearing jeans and a white tank top came over.

"Liv! Abs!" the woman called out, holding her arms open.

"Cheryl!" the detective and lawyer called out in unison and both stood up to hug their greeter.

They introduced Cheryl to Alex and exchanged pleasantries. Cheryl encouraged them to order whatever they wanted. "You know the rules -- on the house, always! Have fun ladies!" She instructed them. She turned to Abbie and took her hand. "Dance with me?"

Abbie smiled her patented dimpled smile. "Baby, you never have to ask." They headed to the dance floor, leaving Alex and Olivia behind.

"How did you and Abbie even know about this place?" Alex asked, still taking in her surroundings.

"Cheryl and her brothers, the twins we met earlier, they own this place," Olivia explained. "Cheryl was raped three years ago. Abbie and I worked her case."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Alex said.

"She's come a long way," Olivia said. "She's been going to therapy, she's dealing with it and she's got a good support system with her brothers."

Alex and Olivia sat back in their chairs, side by side, and watched Abbie and Cheryl turn

the heat on out on the dance floor. The two tall thin women danced to the Latin beats the DJ was playing, their bodies staying in constant contact with one another. At one point, as they danced facing one another, their legs and hips touching, Alex could see the two women lock lips and then pull apart and continued dancing. Upon seeing the public display, Alex felt a warmth that spread through her. She blamed it on all the alcohol she'd been consuming that night.

"Are they...?" Alex asked Olivia.

"It's complicated," Olivia answered. "They are and they aren't."

Alex gave her a quizzical look. "How is that possible? It's either they are together or they aren't."

"Abbie doesn't do relationships or commitments," Olivia tried to clarify. "She likes to have a good time, have fun, fulfill urges or desires, and leave it at that. She doesn't sleep with the same women twice."

"Except for Cheryl?" Alex ventured a guess as she watched Abbie and Cheryl kiss again.

"Actually, Abbie's never slept with Cheryl," Olivia said shaking her head. "It's the weirdest thing. It's like they have this ritual where they dance and make out for all the world to see, but they've never taken it any further."

Olivia and Alex looked over at the dance floor and saw Abbie and Cheryl making their way back to their table holding hands. When they reached Alex and Olivia, Abbie pulled on Cheryl's hand to bring her closer and kissed her. When they separated, Cheryl turned to Alex. "It was nice meeting you and I hope you have a good time. Don't let these two scare you too much." She bent down and kissed Olivia on the cheek and headed back to the bar to help her bartenders.

Abbie sat back in her chair and took a long drink from her beer bottle. A young redhead wearing a black sheath dress sauntered over to Abbie.

"You never called," the redhead said to the dark haired lawyer.

"I've been busy," Abbie answered after swallowing her beer.

"Busy fucking that white tank top?" the stranger accused.

"Girls, this is Kirsten," Abbie introduced the hostile visitor.

"Kristin!" the angry woman corrected. "Lisa was right. I never should've slept with you."

"Which one was Lisa again?" Abbie asked.

"Fuck you!" Kristin spat at her.

"Thanks, but once was enough," Abbie replied coolly and took another drink.

"You are such a bitch," the young scorned lover said shaking her head and walked away.

Alex looked speechlessly at Abbie and the retreating redhead.

"God I love fucking with people," Abbie said, obviously enjoying the reaction she elicited from her former lover.

"And what are you gonna do once you've fucked every lesbian in Manhattan?" Olivia asked her.

"I'll let you know when it happens," Abbie said, clicking her bottle with Olivia's highball glass.

"At least you didn't get a drink thrown in your face this time," Olivia told her.

"True. But THAT is exactly why I don't do relationships," Abbie replied indicating the space the redhead had occupied with a wagging finger. Then she winked. "But then again, I'm preaching to the choir aren't I?"

Olivia gave her a smile and took a drink of her whiskey and ginger ale cocktail.

"So you're both gay?" Alex asked.

"I am," Abbie replied and then dismissively pointed a finger at Olivia and accentuated her southern drawl as she added, "As for Benson...well, that's debatable. She likes to hang onto the mantle of homosexuality while flaunting the heterosexual privilege when in the public eye."

"Hey, don't get on my case just because I like dicks and chicks." Olivia said, sitting back, chewing on the small straw from her drink.

"Jesus, stop straddling the fence, 'cause you know that one day you'll lose your balance,

fall off and wind up with a wedgie when your underwear gets snagged on the fence post,"

Abbie retorted. "Then again, maybe you like that kind of thing, huh, Doc?"

"Don't knock it 'til you've tried it," Olivia joked back with a wink.

"Doc?" Alex asked with a raised eyebrow, looking from Abbie to Olivia and then back at Abbie.

"She's the 'lesbian virgin surgeon'," Abbie answered with a grin. "And speaking of which, I think I see one." Abbie indicated with a lift of her chin to a strawberry blonde feminine looking woman sitting by the bar with a couple of friends. Her friends were trying to pull her onto the dance floor but she was shaking her head. She was wearing a pair of black pants and a white halter top. As her friends left for the dance floor, she looked around the bar nervously.

"Excuse me, ladies," Olivia said, pulling the straw out of her mouth and tossing it back into her highball glass. "I think someone needs a doctor - stat." She got up and sauntered over to the bar. She sidled up to the counter beside the halter top and motioned one of the bartenders over. While she waited for the bartender, she turned to the halter top and found the shy woman looking at her. From their positions at the table, the two ADAs watched the scene unfold.

They could see Olivia greet the shy woman and shake her hand. Olivia then asked her something and the woman shook her head. When the bartender came over, Olivia turned to the other woman to ask her something and then turned to the bartender. Olivia had just bought the woman a drink.

"Now she's going to ask her if she's ever been to a gay bar before," Abbie gave Alex a play by play commentary. They saw Olivia lean over and ask the woman something who in turn shook her head.

"So Liv likes virgins? How do you know she's a virgin?" Alex asked, splitting her attention between watching Olivia put the moves on the stranger and talking to Abbie.

"Liv's into the 'straight girls happen' scene," Abbie explained.

"Straight girls happen?" Alex repeated.

"Don't worry, she won't hit on you," Abbie said, patting Alex's hand. "You're not her type."

"What? Blonde? Smart?" Alex said with a smirk.

"Single," Abbie replied. "Liv likes 'em straight and married."

Alex gave her a puzzled look.

"It's less complicated. They're only looking for fun, no commitment," Abbie explained.

"So how do you know she's married?" Alex asked, indicating the woman seated next to Olivia who was now smiling as the detective whispered something into her ear.

"It's her shyness in the way she refused to join her friends on the dance floor," Abbie began. "Add to that the way she was sitting and fidgeting with her left ring finger. She's having a night out with her gay friends in a gay club for the first time."

"That doesn't necessarily mean she's open to sleeping with another woman," Alex tried to reason thinking of how she too was a straight girl out with a couple of gay friends for the first time.

"I'd agree with you if she was still wearing her wedding ring," the Texan replied. "She's feeling a bit out of place, yet she's taken off her ring. She just needs the right woman to hit on her and she's game."

"And the right woman is Olivia," the blonde added.

"Bingo," Abbie confirmed. "She's got a way with the straight curious girls. They never refuse her."

"Is that so?" Alex asked.

"It is," Abbie said nodding. Alex turned her attention over to the bar and watched Olivia lean over to say something into the red head's ear again. The red head gave a shy shake of her head. Olivia said something else and the red head licked her bottom lip and bit down on it shyly and slowly turned her head to face Olivia. She gave a slight nod and Olivia moved closer and brought her lips to the redhead's lips in a soft chaste kiss. When they broke apart, the redhead smiled and lowered her head, her hair partially hiding the smile that was on her face. The bartender delivered the drinks and Olivia handed the woman one of the glasses. Some more whispers into one another's ears and then both women stood up.

Olivia pointed to a spiral staircase behind the dance floor which led up to the balcony above. The other woman started walking and Olivia was by her side, her hand on the small of the other woman's back, guiding her to the stairs. They went up to the balcony and stood along the rail, looking down on the dancing crowd and talking. After a couple of minutes, Olivia was standing closer to the married woman, leaning one arm on the rail and facing her companion. The strawberry blonde woman had her back against the rail. The two lawyers below watched Olivia lean in again and say something into the woman's ear and then Olivia took her hand and led her away behind tall black curtains.

"Where'd they go?" Alex asked, her curiosity peaked.

"To a more private area," Abbie answered. When Alex looked to her for further explanation, she obliged. "There are some private rooms up there."

"For sex?" Alex asked.

"Don't worry counselor," Abbie reassured her. "There are people up there to make sure no one is being taken up there against their own will."

"Do you guys do this often?" the blonde ADA asked.

"We usually go once a week," the brunette replied. "Alex, are you uncomfortable about being here?"

"I have to admit, this is new to me. I'm not used to seeing this much..." Alex began and hesitated to continue.

"Explicit lesbian behavior?" Abbie finished for her with a smile.

"Yeah," Alex answered. "Aren't you concerned about people finding out about your orientation?"

"Well, that's why I don't broadcast at work," Abbie answered. "It's a private club. We go by pseudonyms. People who come here, they're looking for a private place to hang out and have fun as well. They're not looking to out anyone because they don't want to out themselves."

"Gotcha," the blonde replied, understanding Abbie's underlying request that Alex keep this newfound adventure and information about her colleagues to herself.

"You never answered the question though," Abbie said, looking serious. "Are you uncomfortable about being here?"

Alex took a couple of seconds to gauge her feelings. "No. The music is good, the drinks are good, and hell, there's entertainment too!" she answered honestly, pointing to the go-go dancers and smiling.

"Good," the brunette said and leaned over to the blonde. "I'm glad you're not uncomfortable because that bull dyke over there has been eyeing you ever since we got here." Abbie discreetly pointed out a butchy woman with spiky hair, wearing a sleeveless plaid shirt and jeans who raised her beer bottle in greeting when Alex made eye contact.

Alex quickly turned to Abbie and a look of fear flashed across her face. "What do I do?"

Abbie laughed a deep laugh. "Nothing, Alex. Unless of course you want to meet her, then just give her a smile and she'll buy you a drink."

"No, no, no, no, I don't want her to buy me a drink," Alex said quickly shaking her head. "Just for the record, I'm straight."

Abbie continued laughing.

"I'm glad one of us finds this amusing," the blonde continued.

"It's okay, Alex," Abbie said when she regained her breath. "I know you're straight. I'm just teasing you. But that bull dyke has been eyeing you."

Alex quickly looked out of the corner of her eye and sure enough, the butch in the plaid shirt was watching her.

"Alex, you're an attractive woman," Abbie complimented her. "I wasn't joking when I said that they'd eat you up in here. But Liv and I know you're straight so we won't let any of 'em prey on you. Having said that, should you feel like you wanna dance and have a good time, there's no better place than here where it's safe, okay?"

Alex nodded taking in the advice.

"Alright, now, Lexi," Abbie said standing up and held out her hand to Alex. "Since Liv's abandoned us for some carnal knowledge, how about you indulge this Texan dyke and let me have the honor of dancing with the hottest new girl in the club?"

Despite Abbie's invitation, she didn't expect Alex to have loosened up enough to join her, but, to her surprise, Alex smiled and took her hand and said "Sure, what the hell?" and the two headed off to the dance floor. Abbie respected Alex's personal space and kept some space between them. As they danced, Abbie saw the woman in the plaid shirt move towards them and slowly she started dancing beside Alex. Abbie leaned close to Alex's ear and asked if she was okay. For the second time that night, Abbie was surprised yet again by Alex's answer, which was a nod and a smile. As Alex and her admirer began dancing together, an Asian woman with long straight black hair sidled up to Abbie and the pair started to dance.

Songs blended into other songs and both lawyers were enjoying the energy and music that flowed through them. After Alex lost count of the number of songs she had danced with her admirer, who's name she learned was Jen, she found that she was really enjoying herself. Jen started to dance closer and closer to her and just as she felt like Jen was about to make a move for some contact, short brown hair and with a red top had stepped in and said something to Jen, her back to Alex. Jen waved bye to Alex and went in search of a different dancing partner and the intruder turned around. Alex couldn't help but grin.

"I see you're enjoying yourself," Olivia said with a grin of her own, moving and swaying with the blonde, their bodies inches apart.

"I am," Alex said. "How did you enjoy the halter top?"

"I see you're picking up on the lingo," Olivia said laughing.

"I'm a fast learner, detective," Alex said with a mischievous smile and a twinkle in her eye. *This music is definitely doing something to my body and brain* thought Alex.

*Is she doing what I think she's doing?* Liv asked herself. She shook off the thought. "I never doubted that, counselor," she said with an equally mischievous smile.

Alex turned her back to Olivia and pressed her body into her dance partner. Olivia's stomach did a flip and she felt her knees go weak. Alex felt the warmth spread through her body once more like it did earlier. Olivia swallowed hard and threw caution to the wind. She put her hands on Alex's hips and pulled the blonde harder against her. She brought her lips to Alex's ear. Alex tilted her head back. Olivia said, "You weren't joking were you?" letting her lips touch Alex's skin.

Alex turned her head to look at the brunette. She ran her tongue along her bottom lip ever so slowly, her eyes on the detective's mouth, her hips still gyrating against Olivia's body. Then she smiled. "I'm thirsty," she said and reached down and took one of Olivia's hands and led her to the bar.

As they waited for their drinks, Olivia whispered into Alex's ear again. "What you just did, we have a name for that."

Alex turned to look at her, their faces ever so close. "And what's that, Detective?"

Olivia moved closer and Alex could feel the other woman's breath on the corner of her mouth, on her cheek, and then against her ear. "Cunt tease."

Alex felt an electric jolt rush through her body, and noted that it had emanated from below her waist. *God, does she look hot or what? Did she look this hot all night or only after she's had sex? Wait, why am I thinking these things? Oh fuck it; I'm in a lesbian bar, maybe it's contagious!* she debated with herself.

Alex whispered back into Olivia's ear. "Am I teasing your cunt?" She swore she could see a blush creep along Olivia's cheek.

"I don't know, are you?"

"Do you want me to?"

"You are such a lawyer sometimes," Olivia teased her. As much fun as she had had upstairs with the woman in the halter top, the moment she saw Alex dancing, Olivia's heart had started beating erratically. The moment the blonde pressed her ass against her, Olivia had felt herself get wet all over again. But she had to remind herself that despite "Two-twelve" being a private and discreet club, she and Alex still had to work together. Besides, she had assumed Alex was straight. They got their drinks and headed back to their table. Alex was still smiling, feeling proud of herself for having caused the tough detective to blush.

"Where's Abbie?" Olivia asked, scanning the dancing crowd, and hoping to change the flirtatious encounter they were having.

"Over there," Alex said, pointing to Abbie and the Asian woman, retreating behind a curtain by the DJ's box.

"Are they going to another 'private area' like upstairs?" Alex asked, teasing Olivia at the same time.

Olivia shook her head. "Bathroom."

"Bathroom? She tells me there are private rooms upstairs, yet she's going to the bathroom?" Alex continued asking.

Olivia smiled. "Private rooms are more for...romantic encounters..."

"Like yours and the straight married woman?" Alex said with a smirk.

"Yeah" Olivia replied. "But Abbie...well, she's usually in the mood for a good fuck. A good ol' quintessential lesbian fuck."

"And what, pray tell, is that?"

"A good hard fuck up against a wall or door," Olivia explained. "Just pure, raw, sexual energy."

"I see," Alex said, obviously getting an explicit image in her head. "But that's not your style?

"I have many different styles," Olivia said and winked.

"I'm sure you do, Miss-I-like-dicks-and-chicks," Alex teased her.

"What can I say?" Olivia said, shrugging her shoulders, "I'm flexible."

As they relaxed in their chairs, Olivia watched Alex. She was still grooving to the beats even while sitting in her chair and was taking in all the sights surrounding her.

"So what does a straight girl like you make of all of this?" Olivia asked. She decided to go fishing. "I'm assuming you're straight, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong."

"No, you're right," Alex said. "Well, truth be told, I've only ever dated guys. I guess the thought of dating a woman just never occurred to me."

"You have led a sheltered life haven't you?" Olivia asked in a joking tone.

"I have," Alex agreed wholeheartedly. "I think it's great that there's a place like this for you to meet whomever you want, do whatever you want, knowing that it's discreet and you don't have to worry about anyone judging you." Alex wanted to reassure Olivia that she would respect her colleagues' desire for privacy when it came to their personal lives.

A woman with blonde curly hair wearing a white spaghetti strap top and a brown skirt came over and asked Alex if she'd care to dance. Alex gave her a warm smile but declined the invitation.

"You should think about switching teams," Olivia joked to a blushing Alex. "God knows you've generated enough interest in here tonight!" *Don't get Jealous, Doc.* the Detective told herself.

"You think?" Alex asked, enjoying the attention she was receiving.

"Alex, women have been looking at you since the moment we walked in here," Olivia pointed out.

"That's just because I'm 'new meat'," Alex joked.

"Well, okay," Olivia admitted and continued, "But really, you're a beautiful woman and sexy as hell when you're dancing out there. A person would have to be blind not to notice you." *Where the hell did all that come from?*

"Are you hitting on me, Detective?" Alex asked smirking.

"Do you want me to?" Olivia echoed Alex's question from earlier.

"Touché," Alex replied and clinked her martini glass with Olivia's. "You're not so bad yourself. It takes a hell of a lot of guts to hit on straight women, and it takes a shit load of charm to never have one turn you down. I could never do that - if I were gay, of course."

"Of course," Olivia agreed. "How'd you know she was straight and about my batting average?"

"Abbie provided the play by play and color commentary," Alex explained and saw a slight blush on the detective's cheeks. "So tell me Detective, have you ever been afraid of approaching a straight girl?"

Olivia paused for a few seconds, "Not in here, because I know that the fact that they're here means that they're open minded enough for some flirtation."

"So, what about me? I'm here with a couple of friends for the first time," Alex began.

"Would you have hit on me?"

"I've already told you, Lexi," came Abbie's voice from behind her. "You're not Liv's type.

You're not married."

Alex smiled and shook her head. Her attempt to see if Olivia might have any interest in her had been foiled.

"Come on girls, dance with me," Abbie said, grabbing both their hands and pulled them to the dance floor. As they made their way to the dancing crowd, Olivia put a hand on the small of Alex's back and pulled her close and said into her ear, "For the record, I would've, at a minimum, bought you a drink."

------------------

The following Monday

------------------

"Let's go get breakfast, my treat," Detective Olivia Benson said, walking up to her partner's desk on Monday morning.

"Okay," Elliot replied, grabbing his jacket and followed her out to the coffee shop around the corner.

"So why the generosity?" Elliot asked as they sat down at a small table by the front window. He placed his coffee and a small paper bag on the table.

Olivia sipped on her coffee. "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth, Elliot. You don't want it, I'll eat it."

"Thanks. I take it Friday went well?" Elliot asked, pulling a bagel with cream cheese out of the paper bag.

"I got laid," Olivia replied with grin.

"You didn't," Elliot said disbelievingly and then lowered his voice and leaned forward.

"Alex?"

"God, no," Olivia replied realizing what her words had implied. "No, her name was Ava. But Alex did have a good time. The girl can dance. Real well."

"Really?" Elliot asked giving his partner a suspecting look.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"What?"

"Forget it."

"Elliot!"

"You had this look."

"What look?"

"You had a twinkle in your eye," Elliot said with a grin.

"What can I say? I got laid," Olivia said, her cheeks getting warm.

"Oh, the twinkle wasn't there when you mentioned Ava," Elliot clarified.

"Alex is straight."

"But you took her to your underground club."

"Yes."

"And she danced."

"Yes."

"And she dances real well."

"Mmmhmmm."

"Mmmhmmm...and there it is."

"Screw off, Elliot, I don't twinkle."

"Oh, but you do, Benson, you do. Speak of the devil. Hi, Alex," Elliot said, greeting the ADA who was behind his partner.

Olivia spun around in her seat. "Hey, Alex."

"Olivia, Elliot," the blond attorney greeted the detectives.

"Join us?" Elliot asked, pulling an empty chair from a table nearby over to their table.

"I don't want to interrupt," Alex said. Her shyness and nervousness had returned.

"No, not at all," Olivia said and moved her chair over to make more room for the attorney to join them.

"How was your weekend?" Elliot asked the blonde as she sat down. He looked like the Cheshire cat.

"It was fine, thank you," Alex replied politely. "And yours?"

"It was fine," Elliot answered, trying hard not to grin out to his ears. "How was girl's night out?"

Alex gave Olivia a quick glance and felt a warm flush on her cheeks.

"It's okay, Alex," Olivia said, coming in for the rescue. "He knows what kind of club we went to."

Alex nodded with relief. "It was good. It was fun." She relaxed visibly.

"I hear you're quite the dancer," Elliot continued and ignored the kick he felt against one of his shins.

Alex felt her ears go warm but after years of learning to control her facial reactions, she simply smiled and answered "Five years of dancing school while growing up has now paid off I suppose."

"Yes it has," Olivia said, quietly. *Shit, did that slip out?*

Alex turned to her and smiled. "Thank you, Olivia."

Elliot grinned and mouthed the word "twinkle" at his partner. "So how's Liv's dancing? Is she going to need some lessons from you?"

As Alex turned back to Elliot, Olivia mouthed back to her partner, "Fuck off".

"Actually, Olivia is quite the dancer herself," Alex said to Elliot and then gave a quick glance over at the brunette.

"Liv, you been holding out on me?" Elliot teased his partner. "Had I known you were such a 'twinkle toes' - "

"And that's exactly why I've been holding out on you," Olivia interrupted him, pointing out his childish teasing.

A shrill ring stopped the partners from escalating their teasing. Alex pulled her cell phone out of her pocket.

"Cabot...okay, I'm on my way," Alex said into the phone and then hung up. "It's been fun,

Detectives, but duty calls. I'll see you later."

"See ya," the detectives replied in unison.

After the ADA was out of earshot, Elliot gave a shit-eating grin. "So just exactly what kind of dancing were you two doing, twinkle toes?"

Olivia grabbed his bagel from out of his hand and started eating it. "Last time I buy you breakfast."

------------------

The following Friday

------------------

"So *what* the fuck was *that* last week?" Abbie asked Olivia as she kicked off her two inch heeled sandals and threw herself down onto the detective's couch. She wore dark blue jeans and a sleeveless white button shirt with the front tied into a knot, Daisy Duke style, revealing her flat midsection.

"What was what?" Olivia asked, closing the door. "And why are you fifteen minutes early?" She was in the process of dressing and was wearing a chocolate brown racer back tank top and a pair of jeans that were still unbuttoned.

"Because I wanted to ask you what the hell you and Cabot were doing with the bumping and grinding last Friday," the lawyer answered. She stretched out her long legs and laced her fingers behind her head.

Olivia went into the bathroom to finish her makeup and yelled out to the living room, "You saw that? I would've thought you were too busy with your tongue down that Asian's throat to notice what we were doing." She stuck her head out the bathroom door and gave Abbie a grin.

"I am capable of multitasking, or have you forgotten that, Benson?"

Olivia came out of the bathroom and buttoned up her jeans. She went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. "You want a beer?" she asked and grabbed two bottles after she got an affirmative answer.

She sat down on the love seat and handed the beer to her guest.

"Well?" Abbie asked, giving her an expectant look.

"We were dancing," Olivia answered.

"Her ass was against you."

"Indeed it was."

"Olivia."

"Abbie."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm just having a good time. Besides, she's straight."

"She's getting curious."

"What are you talking about? It was one night out. Maybe she's just having fun too."

"She asked if you would hit on her. She's getting curious."

"So what?"

"Straight girls happen, Liv. They always get curious with you. Be careful."

"Well, what if she is just curious?"

"Firstly, you work together."

"We work together."

"Not exclusively. And besides, I'm not straight."

"True."

"And secondly, you're hung up on her."

"What - hung up - What? What are you talking about?"

"I can see it when you look at her. You have this look."

"Have you been talking to Elliot?"

"No, but there you go - it's so obvious even Elliot can see it."

"I'm not obvious."

"You've got a thing for her, Benson."

"No, I don't."

"You can lie to yourself, but you can't lie to me."

"Abbie, I'm not hung up on her," Olivia stated. "I was just having a good time."

"Tell me something," Abbie said and leaned forward, her elbows on her knees. "When she spun around and pushed that tight little ass up against you, you didn't get even just a little wet?"

"N-No," Olivia answered.

"You are such a liar, Benson," Abbie said, shaking her head. She sat back. "I can see it in your eyes. They glazed over as soon as I mentioned Cabot's ass, not unlike how they're glazing over right now. And I bet that if I checked, your thong would be soaking right now."

"Joke's on you," Olivia retorted. "I'm not wearing a thong."

Abbie simply looked at Olivia with an arched eyebrow.

"Alright, so I think she's hot, so what?"

"No...It's not just that."

"What?"

"You're hung up on her."

"Carmichael, I swear to God..."

"You swear to God, what?" Abbie asked. "Olivia, I'm your best friend. You don't have to keep up the "non-committal virgin surgeon" persona with me. I know you've got a huge heart and very capable of loving someone. If you meet someone, I'm happy for you."

"Honestly, Abbie," Olivia replied. "I don't know how I feel about her. But you're right, she makes my stomach flip and my knees weak. I know I'm physically attracted to her, but there's something more, something I can't quite put my finger on."

A grin grew on Abbie's face.

"Shut up!" Olivia told her as the buzzer rang. Olivia got up to answer it.

"It's Alex," the voice called out through the small speaker.

"And her tight ass," Abbie quipped, teasing the blushing detective.

"Shut up. Now."

"Benson, you're hopeless," the ADA said, laughing as Olivia opened the door. The lawyer continued to tease her friend and sang out, "Hopelessly devoted to you."

"Carmichael, I am a cop and I do have a gun," Olivia warned the brunette on her couch who stopped the singing as they heard the elevator 'ding', announcing Alex's arrival.

Olivia looked out her door and down the hall. Her breath caught in her throat. Alex walked out of the elevator and towards her in long, casual strides. She wore black pumps with three inch heels; low riding faded flared jeans; and a sheer black, low cut babydoll top with a black bra that was visible underneath the top, and a very appetizing display of cleavage. Alex's hair had the simple "wash 'n go" look which showcased the blonde's natural curls.

"Benson, close your mouth," Abbie called out softly from the couch.

Olivia closed her mouth and swallowed. "You're late."

Alex walked up to the detective and smiled. The smile was both shy and seductive at the same time. "I'm sorry," she said with a slight pout and holding Olivia's gaze.

"You're forgiven," Olivia barely got out.

Abbie sensing the electricity that was flowing between the two women at the door couldn't help but smile. Alex Cabot was dressed to kill and she had Olivia in her sights. Perhaps this was one straight girl who might just give Olivia a run for her money.

"Cabot, you do realize that not just one, but all the bull dykes are going to be chasing your tail tonight?" Abbie asked, breaking the silence.

Alex smiled and blushed. "Hi, Abbie." She walked into the apartment, held her hands up and did a spin. "You like?"

Olivia simply nodded.

"I'm impressed," Abbie answered. "And I'm judging by your attitude, you're dressed to kill on purpose, so don't expect me to bail your ass away from any butches."

"Who said I'm hoping to get bailed?" Alex asked with a wink. "Ladies, shall we go?"

Olivia held the door open as Abbie slipped her sandals back on and the two lawyers led the way out with Alex in front. Abbie walked by Olivia and said under her breath, "You're toast."

Olivia sighed and closed the door. Abbie was right. There was no way in hell she'd be able to resist the blonde with the way she was dressed tonight. The only way to not lose the battle was to stay sober.

---------

With appetites satiated by southern barbeque, the three women made their way into the "212" nightclub. True to Abbie's word, every bull dyke's head turned their way as they made their way from the entrance to the bar.

"Wow, the straight girl cleans up nice," Cheryl greeted them as they sidled up to one end of the bar. Alex gave a questioning look as to how Cheryl knew she was straight. "You don't ping the gaydar. But don't worry, that won't stop any of them from hitting on you," Cheryl explained, indicating the women who were eyeing the blonde attorney.

"I think she's counting on it," Abbie added with a wink.

"What can I say," Alex replied. "An ego boost is an ego boost, whether it's coming from a man or a woman!"

"That's the spirit!" Cheryl said and placed three shot glasses on the bar counter.

She poured equal amounts of tequila in each glass and placed a wedge of lime beside each of them. A salt shaker followed the lime onto the counter.

"Liv," Cheryl called to the detective who licked the flesh on the back of her hand between her thumb and index finger whereupon the bartender sprinkled some salt on the moist area. Olivia licked the salt and slammed back the tequila shot and quickly followed it up with a bite into the lime wedge. She made a quick face as she savored the sour lime juice. Then she turned to Alex and smiled. "Your turn, counselor."

Alex took a deep breath and copied Olivia actions, licking the salt, downing the tequila and biting the lime. She made a face as she swallowed the lime juice and let out a breath.

"Why do I keep falling for that?" she asked.

"'Cause you're a glutton for punishment," Olivia said smiling.

"Indeed I am," Alex agreed and turned to Abbie. "Okay, Tex, your turn!"

Instead of licking her own hand, Abbie held her hand out to Cheryl who licked it and sprinkled salt on it. Abbie then licked the salt, knocked back the tequila and leaned over to Cheryl who was holding the lime wedge by one end with her teeth. Abbie wrapped her lips around the lime wedge and sucked on it. She pulled her mouth away from Cheryl, discarded the lime wedge and smiled at her seductively. The ADA started backing away from the bar to the dance floor, and curled her finger in a hooking motion to call the bartender to join her. Cheryl hopped over the bar and joined the brunette on the dance floor.

"Do you think they'll ever stop this song and dance and get serious about one another?" Alex asked watching the pair go through their weekly ritual.

"Who knows," the detective answered. "We are talking about Abbie here."

"Well, call me an idealist but I think that eventually, everyone will find their other half," Alex said.

"Perhaps," Olivia said, watching the pair on the dance floor and avoiding eye contact with Alex. Truth be told, it wasn't eye contact she was avoiding. She didn't want to get caught gawking at the blonde's cleavage.

"You don't believe in it."

"I believe that everyone has another half," Olivia explained. "I just don't necessarily believe that all of us will find that other half, or perhaps by the time we go through life, that other half no longer fits."

"That's kind of pessimistic," Alex said looking at Olivia.

"I like to be a realist," Olivia said, looking into Alex's eyes, reminding herself to maintain eye contact and not let her gaze drop down to the blonde's chest.

"So you don't think there's someone out there for you?" Alex asked her.

"Oh they're out there," Olivia said, looking around the club. "And they're all married, and they come here looking for a good time and I'm more than happy to oblige."

Alex shook her head. "You're afraid, aren't you?"

Olivia gave her a surprised look. "Of what?"

"Being close to someone."

"I don't know what kind of sex you have, but being close to another person is usually a requirement for me."

"I mean emotionally."

"I can't afford to be emotional," Olivia said obscurely. "And I find standing here, talking about emotions is making me emotional, so what do you say we go show those two how it's done?" At this point, Olivia had convinced herself that dancing with the sexy lawyer was far safer than having a conversation about love and fate and god forbid, emotions.

"I thought you'd never ask," Alex said, filing away Olivia's comment about emotional affordability as something to be debated at a later time.

Olivia took Alex's hand and led her out to the dance floor where Alex immediately eliminated the personal space between them, their bodies almost touching, but not quite.

Olivia could feel the body heat emanating from Alex and felt the butterflies start to stir in her stomach. *Shouldn't have had the tequila and beers during dinner. I was supposed to stay sober!*

Alex didn't know what was coming over her, but all she knew was that she liked the way Olivia had been looking at her all night, since the minute she walked out of the elevator in Olivia's building, to the way Olivia was looking at her while they danced. She had picked out that specific outfit to see if she could get a reaction out of the detective, and judging from the number of times she had seen Olivia glance at her chest, she knew she had the detective's attention. As she moved to the music, she wanted to feel close to the brunette. She wanted to keep Olivia's attention because she didn't want the other woman to find and wander off with some straight, married, curious lesbian virgin. *Gee, Cabot, jealous much?* she chastised herself. But she ignored her inner voice and went with her gut, which told her that she liked being this close to Detective Olivia Benson.

While Olivia was trying to keep her heart rate from skyrocketing, it seemed to her that Alex was inching closer and closer to her, their faces inches apart, and the blonde's eyes were on her, constantly. Olivia studied her dancing partner. The blonde hair looked soft and had a natural glow to it and had a light scent of coconut; one eyebrow was continuously arched with a seductive, "come hither" look, while the blue eyes were intense and focused on her own eyes. Alex moved impossibly closer. Olivia noticed that Alex's lips were more full and shinier tonight than they normally were. The two women were now so close that if Olivia wanted, a slight lift of her chin would've brought their lips into contact. The brunette felt the blonde's body pressed against hers, and the butterflies in her stomach were swarming, while a distinct heat started to grow below her hips.

Just as Olivia's urge to kiss the blonde became irresistible, Alex turned and pressed her backside against Olivia. *Dear God, please don't do this to me...Anything but the ass move* Olivia thought.

Alex could feel Olivia's breasts against her back and felt her own nipples harden.

*Cabot, what are you doing?* she asked herself and immediately admonished the voice from her head. Then she felt an arm snake around her midsection and a hand planted itself on her lower abdomen and pulled her hips harder against her partner behind her. Alex felt a tightening sensation between her legs. She felt Olivia's face next to hers, the other woman's breath tickling the back of her jaw. Then she felt something gently clamp onto her earlobe. It was Olivia's teeth.

Olivia felt an intake of breath from the blonde who had become motionless. Alex was momentarily stunned by the assault of sensations that were coursing through her body. Her nipples were rock hard, her stomach was doing constant flips, and there was no mistaking the feeling below her waist. She. Was. Wet.

"I need a drink," Olivia whispered into Alex's ear after letting go of her earlobe.

Alex silently nodded and Olivia led her off the dance floor and back to the bar.

"Detective, I believe what you just did out there, you have a term for," Alex said sitting down on a barstool.

"Payback's a bitch, ain't it?" Olivia asked with a smirk.

"Can I buy you a drink?" a butch looking woman asked Alex.

Alex turned to Olivia and answered her question. "Yes it is."

The blonde then turned to the woman with dark slicked back hair and said "How about a tequila shot?"

Olivia watched in disbelief and simmering jealousy. *How can she just go from sticking her ass in my crotch to accepting a shot of tequila from a stranger? Dammit, payback is a bitch!*

"The intruder", as Olivia had come to name the woman, introduced herself to Alex as Mel. The shots and lime wedges were brought to them and they clinked shot glasses and downed the drinks followed by the lime chaser.

"Thank you, I needed that," Alex said to her wannabee suitor. "How about a dance?"

Mel held out her arm and Alex hooked her own arm Mel's and they headed to the dance floor, passing Cheryl who was heading back to the bar.

Olivia watched as Alex began dancing with "the intruder". *At least she's not pressed up against the stranger.* Olivia tried to console herself.

"You've got a feisty one there," Cheryl said to Olivia as they watched Alex strut her stuff.

"Yeah," Olivia agreed.

"You want a drink?" Cheryl asked with a knowing smile.

"Tequila," Olivia said, not taking her eyes off of the blonde on the dance floor who was swaying her hips in the most unbelievably sexy way. "Make it a double."

Cheryl chuckled and went behind the bar to pour the drink. Olivia turned her attention to the drink and downed the burning liquid. She put the empty glass down. "Hit me again."

While Cheryl was pouring the second drink, Abbie arrived at Olivia's side and Cheryl automatically poured a shot for her.

"I see Lexi is enjoying herself," Abbie said glancing at Alex and then over at Olivia.

"That's what we're here for, right? A good time, not a long time," Olivia answered, downing her second drink.

"You're so fucking corny and obvious, Liv."

"Don't you have some new meat to fuck or old meat to piss off?"

"Hey, don't take your jealousy out on me."

"I'm not jealous."

"Like hell you're not."

"Look, I work with her, so it's not gonna happen," Olivia explained. "She can 'straight girl happens' with any dyke she wants."

"Good thing you're not a dyke then huh?" Abbie said with a smirk and a wink.

"Fuck you," Olivia replied jokingly.

"I'd rather fuck her," Abbie said eyeing a young Asian tomboi who was approaching them.

"Didn't realize you like the tombois," Olivia commented.

"You just haven't been very observant of my adventures."

"Apparently so."

"Hi," Abbie said, greeting the young woman.

"Hi," the girl said shyly. "My sister was hoping to hook up with you again tonight." She nodded to a group of three women seated at a table near the DJ's booth. One of the women was the Asian woman Abbie had met the week before.

"Why didn't she come over and ask herself?" Abbie asked.

"She heard that you don't sleep with the same woman twice, so she didn't want to ask," the tomboi answered. "So I said I'd ask for her."

"What's your name?" Abbie asked, her focus now solely on the younger sister and all thoughts of the older sister from last week were out of her mind.

"Steph," the girl replied.

"Well, Steph, your sister heard right," Abbie said and upon seeing the girl's expression of disappointment, she continued, "But I would like to buy you a drink."

"I-I don't know," Steph said, glancing over in her sister's direction.

Abbie stood up and stood in the younger woman's personal space. She leaned down, her face mere inches from the other woman's ear and said "Just because I'm not going to sleep with your sister again doesn't mean we can't hook up."

Steph glanced over at her sister's direction again. "I'm going to the restroom. You can join me if you're so inclined," Abbie said to her and walked towards the bathrooms.

Steph was left there, standing in front of Olivia, to debate whether or not to follow "Abs Carson, the stud of Club Two-Twelve".

Olivia just smiled, wondering what the younger woman would choose - her sister or the irresistible Texan whom everyone woman wanted to tame.

The young Asian woman turned and headed towards the restrooms.

Olivia chuckled and shook her head. *A good hard fuck wins every time.* She spun around to face the bar to see Cheryl chuckling as well.

"You and Abs," Cheryl said. "My two studs who keep bringing the women back."

"Fifty bucks says Abbie's getting a cocktail shower from last week's conquest," Olivia said.

"She didn't get a drink thrown at her last week, what makes you think it'll happen this week?" Cheryl asked.

"That dish that just followed her," Olivia said indicating behind her with a hitch of her thumb, "is last week's sister."

Cheryl laughed and shook her head. "You think I'm stupid enough to take that bet?"

Olivia laughed.

"Now, I would be willing to bet how long it takes before your straight hottie over there lets her curiosity get the best of her," Cheryl challenged. Olivia turned around and saw Alex dancing with not just the first "intruder", but now a second one had join them. Both "intruders" were wearing jeans and white tank tops, and there was Alex Cabot, the straight girl, dancing in between the two bull dykes. "Fuck me, a Lexi-bull-dyke sandwich," Olivia said shaking her head. She turned back to Cheryl to see the bartender had read her mind and was already pouring her another double shot of tequila. After Olivia knocked back the drink, Cheryl produced a bottle of water for the brunette.

"Drink up or you won't even be able to fall out of bed tomorrow."

"Thanks."

"Hi," a voice said from beside her. Olivia turned her head and saw Ava, her conquest from last week. The strawberry blonde wore a brown knee length crochet skirt with a white lace trimmed camisole.

"Hi," Olivia said breaking out into a smile.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Ava asked her with a teasing smile.

Olivia held up the water bottle and pointed at Cheryl. "I think I've been cut off until I finish this." Cheryl nodded. "How are you?"

"I'm good. You?"

"Better now."

"Your friends left you alone?"

"They're...pre-occupied."

"What do you say we go and occupy ourselves then?" Ava asked.

*Straight girl's grown bold!* Olivia thought.

"I say that's the best idea I've heard tonight," Olivia answered and stood up and led Ava up the stairs to one of the private rooms.

---------

Alex was getting hot and thirsty so she excused herself from her dancing partners. She sat down at the bar and ordered a martini. "Have you seen Liv or Abs?" she asked Cheryl who was pouring her drink.

"Abs is off igniting a shit storm that is going down as soon as she returns," Cheryl answered. "And Liv went upstairs."

"Another straight married woman?"

"Actually, the same one from last week."

"I see," Alex said and picked up her drink. "Thank you."

"So, you enjoying yourself?"

"I am," Alex answered.

"It's funny," Cheryl started. "When straight girls come here, they're usually curious. By the time the leave after their first visit, they'll have had one of two reactions."

"And what are those?"

"They'll get hit on by a bull dyke and realize that they really aren't that curious," Cheryl answered. "Or they'll embrace their curiosity and open the door to new possibilities."

"And me?" Alex asked, wanting to see what Cheryl's observation of her was, for Alex herself wasn't really sure what was happening to her.

"I think you have a lot of potential, Lexi Carson," Cheryl said and indicated the women scattered around the club who were eyeing the blonde lawyer.

"But?"

"But I think you have a soft spot."

"Soft spot?"

"You can't do what Abs and Liv do. You're not a fuck 'em and leave 'em type."

Alex smiled at the assessment. Cheryl was right. She could dance and tease, but when it came down to it, Alex didn't do casual sex.

"You're right," Alex agreed. "I am a romantic to the core. Not unlike yourself."

"Insightful, too," Cheryl said, seeing that she wasn't dealing with "just another blonde".

"How long do you intend on watching her go through women like underwear?" Alex asked.

Cheryl smiled and shook her head. Lexi Carson was indeed insightful. "Unlike the women here, I don't believe in trying to tame her. You can't make a wildcat live in your house. But should it come to the door and lay down on the porch, I won't shoo it away."

"And what if it never comes to the door?"

"Life goes on. I don't put my life on hold waiting for something that may never happen."

"But you're still hoping."

"It's the romantic in both of us," Cheryl said and winked.

"You think I'm hoping for something?" Alex asked in surprise.

"Tell me," Cheryl said, leaning over the bar, closer to Alex. "Why is it that you bump and grind with Liv, but not any of the other women you dance with?"

Alex opened her mouth to answer but then stopped. She paused to think of an answer. "I feel safe with her."

"Safe in that she's a friend, or safe in that you don't think she'll make a move on you?" Cheryl asked for clarification.

"Do you think she'll make a move on me?" Alex asked before she could stop herself.

"There's always hope isn't there?" Cheryl said with a grin at having "busted" the blonde attorney. Alex blushed as Cheryl continued, "Come on, straight girl. Do you get a tingling sensation when your body is pressed against hers? Does your stomach feel funny when you feel her breath on your cheek? Do you hold your breath when she's inches away because all you want to do is inhale as much of her as you can?"

Alex swallowed hard. "Just so you know," Cheryl continued. "I've never seen Liv dance like that with anyone else in the two years she and Abs have been here." Alex was speechless.

*Is it possible Liv may seriously be interested?* It was one thing for Alex to suspect it on her own, given the way Olivia had been looking at her, but to get some sort of confirmation from a third party, no matter how vague it may be, meant a lot.

"What are you girls chatting about?" Abbie asked, sitting down beside Alex.

Alex and Cheryl looked at each other and smiled. "Wildlife," Cheryl answered and Alex chuckled.

"Sounds titillating," Abbie commented sarcastically. "I'll have one of whatever it is she's having."

"Some of us choose to have intelligent conversations while others choose bathroom entertainment," Alex joked. "Speaking of which, how was it this time?"

"Better than her sister," Abbie replied and laughed at the look on Alex's face. Alex looked at Cheryl who repeated her earlier words, "Shit storm."

As if on cue, Steph's sister walked up to Abbie and grabbed the martini glass which Cheryl had just finished pouring and splashed the contents onto Abbie.

"Shit!" Alex exclaimed.

"Hey!" Cheryl said, immediately hopping over the bar. She knew Abbie never reacted to having drinks tossed or spilled on her, but it was her bar and she wasn't about to let the incident go unnoticed.

The Asian woman handed the glass to Cheryl and said "Don't worry, it won't happen again."

She turned on her heels and left the club. Cheryl grabbed a bar towel and gave it to Abbie to clean herself up.

"Was it worth it?" Alex asked slightly amused.

"Every time," Abbie said, wiping down her shirt and bare midriff.

"One would think you'd get tired of this shit every week," Cheryl said.

"I can't help it," Abbie replied. "I like girls. I can't help it if they all think they're going to be the one to reign me in."

"I don't think reining you in was the issue. More like you sleeping with two sisters in two weeks," Olivia said, smirking, from behind with Ava in tow.

"Like I said," Abbie repeated herself. "I like girls."

"Clearly," Olivia said. "Come on, let's get you home. All the charm in the world can't make a girl overcome the smell of vodka all over you." She turned to Ava, "It was good seeing you again."

"See you next week, maybe?" Ava asked shyly.

"Maybe," Olivia said with a smile. "Take care."

"Come on, you," Olivia said to Abbie.

"Keep her out of trouble, will you?" Cheryl requested. "I got the boys to call you guys a cab already."

"Will do," Olivia answered. "Thanks."

"Take care, Lexi," Cheryl said and smiled.

"You too," Alex replied and shared the smile.

The trio made their way outside and sat on the curb to wait for their cab. While they waited, they decided that they would go back to Abbie's place so she could change and just hang out and have a few more drinks.

Abbie opened her apartment door and led her two companions in. "Make yourselves at home. I'm going to shower and change," she said and turned to Alex, "Liv knows where everything is so if you can't find something, she'll know." She left Alex and Olivia in the kitchen and headed off to her bedroom.

"Beer?" Olivia asked, opening the fridge.

"Sure," Alex answered leaning back on the counter beside the fridge. Olivia handed the blonde a bottle and closed the door. She reached around to the other side of the lawyer to open a drawer. The move put the two women face to face, inches away from each other. *No way, is that sex I still smell on her?* Alex thought. Whatever it was, the proximity of the detective was making her heart rate pick up. Olivia moved back a little as she produced a bottle opener from the drawer and held it up between them.

Alex lifted her beer bottle from the counter and brought it up in front of her. Olivia placed one hand on the bottle, over top of Alex's hand, and popped off the cap off the bottle.

"I see you were having a good time dancing tonight," Olivia said, having removed her hand from around Alex's. Alex noted that although Olivia's hand had moved, the rest of her had not as she popped the cap off of her own bottle. "With the twin butches," Olivia added for clarification. There was no mistaking that they both enjoyed dancing with each other.

"I did have a good time," Alex answered quietly, trying to control her breathing. Cheryl was right. Alex wanted nothing more at that moment than to just inhale all of the woman standing opposite her.

"So, counselor, tell me," Olivia began and moved closer. Alex held her breath. Olivia re-opened the drawer and place the bottle opener back inside. She moved back again but didn't go far. There was still minimal space between them. "Are they your type?"

"They're a little masculine for my taste," Alex answered. "If I wanted to date someone who looked like a man, I'd date a man."

"Fair enough."

"I'd like someone who's strong, but also caring and nurturing."

"Mmhmm."

"Someone who doesn't care what other people think; someone intelligent."

"Mmhmm."

"Someone who's sure of herself, and is in touch with her feminine side."

"So...," Olivia started. "You wanna date yourself." She smiled.

"Well, they do say that self love is the best love of all," Alex answered which elicited a chuckle from the brunette.

"I noticed you said 'herself' and 'her feminine side'," Olivia pointed out. "Does this mean you're thinking about switching teams, counselor?"

"I guess you can say that after tonight, the concept doesn't seem as foreign to me anymore," Alex admitted looking down.

"Are you sure you're not just curious?"

"Is curiosity such a bad thing?" Alex asked, looking back up into brown eyes.

"In my experience, curiosity has always left someone hurt."

"What if I'm willing to take the risk?" Alex asked, standing straighter and closer to Olivia.

"Then you better be sure your partner is too," Olivia answered, her gaze shifting to the blonde's shimmering lips. Both women were silent and motionless. Olivia was afraid to move for fear that even the slightest of shifts would move her body against Alex's and she knew she'd lose all control if that were to happen. Alex waited. She had opened the door. Would the brunette walk through?

"Ladies," the husky voice called out from the other side of the kitchen. Ignoring the obvious intimacy of the situation, Abbie walked towards the pair. "I see you've found my friend, Lager." She opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of her own. "Now let's see if we can find my other friend, Tequila."

Alex and Olivia held gazes for a split second more before breaking eye contact. *Damn Abbie and her sense of timing!* Alex thought.

Abbie found the bottle of Tequila and Olivia grabbed a juice glass and three shot glasses.

Alex followed them into the living room. Abbie, hair still damp and having changed into a pair of black yoga pants and a grey tank top, placed the bottles on the square wooden

coffee table, grabbed a cushion from the couch and sat down on it on the floor. Olivia and Alex followed suit.

"Oh wait," Abbie said getting up. "Need the quarter." She went into her bedroom.

"What are we doing?" Alex asked innocently.

"You've never heard of 'quarters'?" Olivia asked in surprise.

"They're twenty-five cent coins," Alex replied.

Olivia laughed, "No, the game." Alex shook her head.

"Cabot, we're going to get you drunk is what we're doing," Olivia said laughing.

"What's so funny?" Abbie asked coming back into the living room and sitting down facing Olivia.

"Cabot's never heard of 'quarters'," Olivia answered.

"They're twenty-five cent coins," Abbie said looking at Alex, who in turned gave Olivia a look that said "See?"

"The game, Carmichael, the game," Olivia clarified. "Christ, you lawyers have the same sense of humor."

"My, you have led a sheltered life," Abbie said. She began to explain the rules to Alex while Olivia poured tequila into each shot glass and put it in front of each woman.

"When it's your turn, you take the quarter and try to get it to land in this glass by bouncing it off the table," Abbie said and gave a demonstration. The coin bounced and dropped into the juice glass. "The way we play it, if you get the coin in the glass, all the other players have to drink their shot and you get to go again. If you get it in three times in a row, all the other players have to drink two shots in a row and then it's someone else's turn. If you miss, you have to drink your shot and then it's the next person's turn."

Alex nodded her understanding.

"Rock, paper, scissors to see who goes first," Olivia said. "One, two, three." Olivia and Abbie both chose scissors. Alex chose rock. She picked up the quarter and threw it at the table surface and the coin skipped over the glass.

"We'll call that one a practice," Abbie said, retrieving the coin. "You get one more try."

Alex took the coin and this time, threw it gentler and the coin landed in the glass.

"I think you should drink a double for that," Olivia joked to Abbie. The two brunettes took their shots and waited for the blonde to take her next turn. This time, the coin fell short from it's destination.

Abbie was next and she landed the coin in the glass two times in a row. Olivia landed the coin once. As the game progressed around the table, the conversation veered in the direction regarding relationships.

"So I see Ava came back for seconds," Abbie said to Olivia.

"Yes she did."

"She's falling for you."

"She's married."

"She still fucked you."

"She's getting in touch with her inner lesbian."

"You're getting in touch with her inner lesbian," Alex chimed in.

"Oooh, zing," Abbie said and clinked her beer bottle with Alex's.

"If she likes to have fun, that works for me," Olivia answered.

"Remember, repetition breeds familiarity," Abbie warned her. "And familiarity leads to attachment and - "

"Attachment leads to relationships, and relationships lead to trouble," Olivia said in unison with Abbie.

Alex took the quarter and bounced it off the table and missed. She took a shot of tequila.

"What do you two have against relationships anyway?" she asked, passing the quarter to Abbie.

"Were you not listening, Alex?" Abbie asked. "Relationships lead to trouble?" She bounced the quarter and it landed in the glass. Olivia and Alex took their shots.

"Why is it trouble?" Alex continued her questioning. "Because neither of you want anyone to get close to you?"

"Uh oh," Olivia said and turned to Abbie. "The idealist is emerging." Abbie bounced the quarter again and missed.

"Call me what you want," Alex said. "But what I don't get is that you two are beautiful, strong, intelligent and independent women who are so sure of themselves. What are you so afraid of that you go from one woman to another, week in and week out, and have empty, meaningless encounters while drinking yourselves stupid drunk?"

"I think we might have to start cutting her off," Abbie said, moving the half empty tequila bottle away from the blonde.

"I'm serious," Alex said.

"Hey, I don't go fucking new meat every week," Olivia said, trying to defend herself.

"That's Abbie's gig."

"No, you go looking for women whom you know are unavailable for relationships," Alex pointed out and turned to Abbie. "And you go and fuck everything that moves, while the one person who truly cares about you stands by and watches. You're both fucked up. You just express it differently."

"Are you finished?" Olivia asked.

"Yeah," Alex said letting out a breath.

"Then drink up," Olivia said to her, pointing at the coin that she just bounced into the juice glass.

Alex just shook her head and slammed back the shot. *We're all drunk, how do I expect to have a serious conversation with them?* she thought to herself.

"You're right, Alex," Abbie said, putting down her shot glass. "We are fucked up. And that's exactly why we can't get involved in any relationships."

Alex shook her head again in exasperation. It was pointless. They were going around in circles.

"I was raped in college," Abbie said soberly. "Date rape. I haven't been in any relationships ever since."

"Oh, God, I'm so sorry," Alex apologized. *Dammit, talk about putting your foot in your mouth!*

"My mother was raped in college," Olivia said quietly. "I'm the product of that rape."

Alex was speechless.

"See, Alex," Abbie continued. "We are fucked up. We've accepted that. We're damaged goods. Who would want to be with us? Who'd want all this baggage? And so instead of putting ourselves on the line to get rejected and hurt, it's easier to just...do what we do. And I've been doing this for so long that I don't even know what to do in a relationship anymore."

"Is that why you won't get involved with Cheryl?" Olivia asked.

"I'm afraid I'll fuck it up," Abbie admitted. "At least what she and I are doing right now, it's something I'm used to. It's what I know."

"I think she'll understand where you're coming from," Alex suggested. "Not to mention that you two really are hot together." This brought a round of smiles from everyone.

"I'll keep that in mind," Abbie said.

"And Olivia," Alex said, turning to the detective. "Any man or woman would be lucky to have you."

Olivia gave her a smile and held her gaze. "Thanks."

"Well, now that we've got all that out in the open, might as well let everything out in the

open," Abbie said. She poured tequila into all three shot glasses. She picked up her glass and said, "I've never slept with a man!" She drank the tequila and Olivia followed.

Alex, apparently, had never played this drinking game before either. "I don't get it," she said.

"When it's your turn, you're supposed to say a statement that is true, but you precede it with 'I've never'," Olivia explained. "And if the true statement applies to you, you take a drink as well. The only rule is that we don't question the admission, we just accept it."

Alex responded by drinking her shot. It took her a few seconds to gather her wits and concentrate on placing the shot glass down onto the table. "I think I've had enough tequila for the night. I'm just going to stick with my beer," Alex informed the other two who agreed that it was time to ease back on the hard liquor.

"I've never slept with a coworker," Olivia proclaimed and took a drink of her beer. Abbie also took a drink of her own beer.

Alex didn't move her bottle. The Texan and the detective looked at her.

"I haven't," Alex shrugged. "At least not yet." That earned her a raised eyebrow from the detective.

"I've never had sex in a car," Alex said. All three women took a drink.

"I've never had phone sex," Abbie said. Again, all three women drank.

"I've never watched porn alone," Olivia said and they all took a drink.

"I've never watched porn with other people," Alex said as they again all took a swig of their beers.

"I've never made porn," Abbie said and took a drink. She noticed the other two women staring at her, their mouths open.

"New rule," Olivia said. "You have to explain."

"Homemade porn," Abbie explained. "You know, filming yourself having sex?"

"Ah, okay," Olivia nodded her understanding. She did not take a drink, but noticed out of the corner of her eye that Alex did. The two brunettes looked at the blonde.

"I was in college," Alex said nonchalantly.

"I'm impressed, Cabot," Abbie said. "I had you pegged as being pretty straight laced."

"I do have an adventurous side," Alex said with a wink.

"Okay," Olivia said, holding up her bottle. "I've never smoked pot." The two brunettes took a drink. Abbie looked at Alex. "I take it back, you are straight laced."

"I've never kissed a woman," Alex said. All three took a drink.

"Wait, you said that it never occurred to you to date women," Olivia said.

"I didn't date her," Alex explained. "I kissed her. On a dare."

"Tease," Abbie said. "I've never faked an orgasm." All three women drank.

"I've never masturbated at work," Olivia said. "In the crib," she clarified after the two

ADAs looked at her questioningly. All three women drank.

"Thank god for office doors and locks," Abbie said.

"I've never...I've never drank this much before," Alex said and the other two women lifted their bottles. Alex lowered hers. "Seriously, I think I need to lie down."

Olivia was immediately by her side and helped her to stand up from the floor. Abbie grabbed some cushions and put them on the couch while Olivia guided the blonde to lay down.

"I'll go get a blanket," Abbie said and headed off to her bedroom.

Alex laid down, her head resting on the cushions. Olivia was kneeling on the floor beside the couch and brushed a strand of hair from the blonde's face with one hand, the other hand was still holding Alex's left hand.

"Do you want me to get you a bucket or take you to the bathroom?" Olivia asked, concern etched on her face.

"I think I just need to close my eyes for a bit," Alex said, her eyes half closed already.

"Okay," Olivia said and gave Alex's hand a squeeze. "I'll stay here so if you need anything, just holler."

"Thank you," Alex struggled to whisper as her eyes closed.

Abbie came out with a blanket and Olivia placed it over the blonde.

"Come on, Liv," Abbie said. "She'll be fine out here. My bed's plenty big for both of us."

Olivia gave one last look at the blonde and followed Abbie into the bedroom. Shedding her jeans, she crawled into one side of the king sized bed, wearing her tank top and black string bikini panties. Abbie slid off her yoga pants and joined her.

"You're falling for her aren't you, Liv?" Abbie asked quietly in the dark once they were settled.

"She makes me feel something I haven't felt in a long time," Olivia answered.

"And what's that?"

There was a pause.

"Scared."

Silence descended upon the two women and after Abbie was starting to drift off to sleep, she felt movement and shuffling from the other side of the bed. She heard footsteps and knew that when she'd awake the next day, she'd find the detective in the living room curled up on the love seat facing the couch.

------------------

Two weeks later

------------------

Olivia waited down on the curb in front of her building for Abbie to arrive. It had become routine that Alex was always the last to be ready so they decided that they would start meeting at Alex's place instead. That way, they hoped their presence would get the blonde to speed up her primping process.

A taxicab pulled up and the back door opened. Olivia climbed inside and saw the short, spiky platinum blonde hair.

"Cheryl, Hi!" Olivia said in surprise.

"You didn't tell her?" Cheryl asked Abbie.

"I wanted to surprise her," Abbie explained and Cheryl smiled.

"She finally came to her senses and asked me out on a proper date," Cheryl explained to

Olivia.

Olivia grinned at the couple who were trying so hard to not be "lovey dovey".

"Congratulations...but seriously, Carmichael, where's your class? First date and you're making her come for southern barbeque with me and Alex and then back to the very club she owns?"

"It's okay, Olivia," Cheryl reassured the detective. "I believe Abbie and I are past the formalities of the 'getting to know you' first dates."

The cab pulled up to Alex's building and the three women made their way inside and up to the blonde lawyer's apartment. They knocked on Alex's door and waited patiently.

Alex answered the door still wearing the baby blue skirt suit from work and let her friends in. She had the same surprised reaction as Olivia upon seeing Cheryl. Upon hearing the explanation for Cheryl's presence, the two blonde women hugged. The two brunettes exchanged confused looks.

"Cabot, you're not dressed," Abbie stated in a scolding tone.

"Sorry guys, my baby cousin's here. She came into town when I got home," Alex explained. "I totally forgot that she was visiting. You'll have to count me out tonight."

"Count you out on what?" the question came from behind Alex. A young woman with blonde hair, tucked into a bun with a pen holding it in place, had come around the corner from the hallway.

"Niki, this is Olivia, Abbie and Cheryl," Alex called her cousin out for introductions.

"Guys, this is my baby cousin, Niki Cabot."

The younger Cabot happily shook hands with the other three women with smiling brown eyes and a grin that lit up the room. "Alex, if you already had plans, go ahead."

"No, don't worry about it," Alex said turning to her cousin. "It's not often you visit me so I'd rather spend the time with you. Plus, you finished Law school so I want to take you out to celebrate!"

"Hey, why don't you join us and we'll help you celebrate," Abbie suggested.

"I don't know..." Alex said with noticeable hesitation.

"You're over twenty-one, right?" Cheryl asked Niki.

"Yes I am, as a matter of fact," Niki replied and turned to her cousin. "Come on, Alex. I'm gonna be here for two months. You can't put your life on hold just because I'm here. I promise I won't embarrass you."

Alex looked at her excited cousin and gave in. "All right. Go change."

Niki happily went down the hall to her room and Alex turned to the other three. "I can't believe you're going to take my cousin to a gay bar."

"We're not taking her...you are," Olivia said with a smirk.

"What I can't believe is that you have a hot cousin and never told us," Abbie teased Alex.

She turned to Cheryl, "But not as hot as you, babe."

"Aww," Cheryl said and gave Abbie a kiss.

"Guys, please," Olivia said to the pair. "Nothing makes me gag more than watching lovesick lesbians."

"And," Alex scolded, "That's my baby cousin you're talking about. She's not hot. Don't call her that!"

"You're right, Alex," Olivia said. "She's not hot. She's haaaahhhttttt."

The visitors laughed while Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head. She warned them. "I'm going to change. Behave yourselves."

"I believe she's talking to you two," Olivia said, teasing the new couple.

Finally the two Cabot women were dressed and ready to head out. They went for dinner and although Niki had already figured out that Abbie and Cheryl were gay and together, she was still unsure about Olivia. And as far as she knew, her older cousin was straight.

Throughout dinner, it became apparent to Alex that despite her younger cousin having just finished law school, she was not at all interested in talking about any aspect of the law with Abbie or herself. Instead, she seemed to be quite keen on making conversation with the detective and not only that, Alex noted that the detective was pretty at ease talking to the younger Cabot. *Easy, Alex, they're just talking. Olivia is being her usual charming self.* she told herself.

Ever since the night she passed out in Abbie's apartment, she felt as though she and Olivia had grown a bit closer. She remembered waking up the next day and seeing the detective all curled up on the love seat across the coffee table from her. She thought that Olivia couldn't have looked more adorable with her hair sticking up every which way. Abbie had told her that despite having a king sized bed, Olivia had chosen to stay on the love seat. It gave Alex a warm feeling inside to know that the detective had a soft spot and cared about her well being.

After that weekend, she had found herself visiting the precinct house more often, looking for any and every excuse to go visit the squad. Whenever she saw Olivia, her stomach jumped a little jump and she couldn't help but smile. At times when she had missed Olivia, she felt that her day was off track somehow and it would just drag on that much longer. As if by instinct, she'd find herself standing a little closer to the detective than she used to before, and everyday, she'd ponder over which outfit to wear that would accentuate whichever features on her body she was hoping would catch the detective's eye.

Much to Alex's delight, the detective seemed to also be calling her more often to deliver news or ask her for things any of the other detectives could've done themselves. Sometimes, she found Olivia visiting her at her office when a phone call would've sufficed. And she knew it wasn't her imagination that Olivia was looking at her more often, for there had been times when she had caught the detective looking at her and the brunette would look away blushing. Those times were especially amusing and satisfying to her when the detective was caught looking at the very feature which the attorney was trying to accentuate for the detective's benefit.

The couple of times which they had continued to go to the club, the heat between them had not escalated, but it hadn't fizzled either. They continued their flirtatious dances and the memories of the occasional bodily contact between them and the feelings that it had ignited had been permanently etched in their minds. Alex continued to draw attention from the club patrons, and Olivia was still able to pick out and pick up the straight married women who had arrived at the club, looking for a new and different experience.

By the time dinner was over and they headed off to the club, Alex was feeling a strange twinge of anxiety in the pit of her stomach. She chalked it up to being anxious about what her cousin would think about her frequenting a lesbian bar. The fact that Niki was having a good time and visibly and thoroughly enjoying the company of Detective Benson was not going by unnoticed either.

When they entered the club, Alex watched her cousin to gauge her reaction. They made their way to a table and Cheryl offered to go get their drinks. Niki volunteered to help.

"I like your cousin," Olivia said to Alex, watching the two women leave for the bar.

"Hold onto your panties there, Doc," Alex playfully warned Olivia.

"Did you forget already?" Olivia asked. "She's not my type - she's single!"

"I think she's into you though," Alex said.

"Do you even know if she's gay?" Olivia asked.

"Does it matter? The straight girls love you just as much," Abbie interjected.

"True," Olivia said, allowing herself a moment of ego stroking. "Relax, Alex. I'm not like Abbie. I won't do two sisters."

Abbie playfully slapped her on the shoulder. They saw Cheryl and Niki return from the bar carrying bottles of beer and margarita glasses in their hands. As they made their way towards the seated women through the dancing crowd, Niki was catching the eyes of some of the dancing women. As they tried to get her to dance with them, she briefly acquiesced and was sandwiched between two women, her body grinding with theirs. The look on her face showed that she was thoroughly enjoying herself. By the time she made it to the table, Alex looked at her questioningly.

"You're not the only one pretending to be straight at the family compound, Alex," Niki said, handing her cousin a margarita. "You can close your mouth now, Alexandra."

"Oh. My. God," Alex said to no one in particular as the other women laughed.

Niki put her own margarita glass down and held her hand out to Olivia. "Will you do me...," she said with a sly smile and continued, "the honor?"

Olivia shook her head and smiled at the brashness of the younger Cabot. She stood up, took the younger woman's hand and off they went into the crowd.

"Wow," Abbie said. "Hot and bold!"

"Will you stop calling her hot?" Alex said, her irritation mounting. She took a long drink of her margarita.

"Alex, just stake your territory," Cheryl said jokingly.

"That's the thing isn't it?" Alex said. "She's not my territory."

"You know you can change that, right?" Abbie asked. "If you were so inclined."

Alex didn't reply. She simply kept drinking her cocktail, her eyes never leaving the two women dancing on the dance floor. Niki was strutting her moves, and her moves were sexy as hell, Alex had to admit. The younger blonde turned her body and pressed back against the detective. She lifted one arm up and behind her to run her fingers through the brunette's hair, her head tilted back so that Olivia had full access to her neck, which the brunette was happily nuzzling. Her other hand was on top of Olivia's hand, which was on her bare midriff. *Fuck me! She took my move and made it even better!* Alex thought. By this time, her glass was empty and she was drinking Niki's margarita.

"I see the talent for dancing runs in the family," Abbie remarked, watching Niki and Liv.

"Shut up," Alex said in between long drinks of Niki's drink. Between the five beers she had had at dinner and the cocktails she was knocking back now, Alex was feeling somewhat of a buzz. *God grant me the liquid courage to change the things I cannot accept* she thought, taking another drink of the tequila and lime juice, her eyes never once leaving the dancing pair.

Cheryl nudged Abbie in the side, indicating the look on Alex's face. It was a look of pure jealousy, lust and determination. Without a word, Alex finished off the margarita and stood up and made her way over to the dance floor. At this point, Niki and Liv were dancing face to face, bodies pressed together. The brunette's hands were on Niki's hips as the younger woman licked Liv's neck, from the dip between the collar bones up to Liv's uplifted chin.

Before Niki's lips met Olivia's, Alex tapped the younger Cabot on the shoulder. Niki broke away from her assault on the detective's neck and gave her cousin a grin.

"Hi, remember me, your cousin?" Alex asked "Why don't you go have a rest before I see something that's going to cause me to never be able to look your parents in the eye anymore."

"Don't worry," Niki said into Alex's ear. "I'd never sleep with a woman my cousin's in love with."

At the look at Alex's face, Niki laughed and found herself a soft butch woman who was more than willing to dance with her.

Alex stepped into Olivia's personal space and placed her hands on the brunette's hips. The detective reciprocated the action. "I see you're enjoying my cousin's talents," Alex said into Olivia's ear and pulled back slightly to gauge the detective's reaction.

"She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to go for it," Olivia said, looking into the blonde's eyes. The sensation of being pressed into Alex's body and feeling breasts against breasts was starting to make the Olivia's knees begin to weaken. "If only some of us were that brave," Olivia continued, her eyes growing darker and more intense as she gazed into Alex's blue eyes which had grown dark as well.

Alex felt the detective's breath grow shallow against her own skin. *God grant me the liquid courage to change the things I cannot accept* she repeated to herself. Both women had stopped dancing and they were now standing motionless, pressed together, surrounded by dancing, swaying bodies. Alex tilted her head and lifted her chin and felt Olivia's breath on her lips. Slowly she closed her eyes and brought her lips to Olivia's soft and warm lips. Alex parted her lips and the moment her tongue touched the other woman's lips, they parted and granted her access.

Alex slid her tongue against Olivia's, and pressed her body even harder against the brunette, a heat burning between her legs. She slid her hands off of Olivia's hips and wrapped them around the other woman's waist. Olivia's hands moved up to cup Alex's face as her tongue invaded Alex's mouth, licking, searching, exploring, tasting. She tasted the tequila and citrus juices that lingered on Alex's tongue. As much as her body wanted to take the blonde upstairs, she finally pulled away. "Alex, I think you're drunk." Olivia said softly, a look of realization flashed across her face.

"I have been drinking, yes," Alex admitted.

"Let's get you home," Olivia said, moving her hands from Alex's face and took one of Alex's hands and led her off the dance floor. She headed back to their table, to receive grins from the two blondes and brunette.

"I'm gonna take her home," Olivia explained and upon seeing Abbie's grin, added, "She's had enough to drink tonight."

"Are you going to be okay?" Olivia asked the younger Cabot.

"We'll make sure she makes it home," Cheryl reassured the detective.

"And I do have a key so I'll be fine," Niki said and added with a wink. "Take my cousin home, will ya?"

Olivia simply shook her head and led the blonde out of the club. They found a cab and rode back to Alex's apartment. Alex was resting her head on Olivia's shoulder with her eyes closed the entire ride. When they got to the apartment building, Olivia pulled Alex out of the cab and led her up to the apartment, her arm around the blonde's waist to steady her and one of Alex's arms slung over and around her shoulder. After digging around in the blonde's purse, she found the keys and let them inside. As she finished locking the door, she began to guide Alex to the master bedroom when Alex said, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

Quickly, Olivia led her to the bathroom and lowered her down to the toilet. The five beers and two margaritas made their reappearance while Olivia sat beside the blonde and held her hair back. When it sounded like Alex's stomach had stabilized, Olivia gave her some tissues to wipe her mouth and a glass of water. While Alex rinsed out her mouth, Olivia soaked two face cloths with cold water. She took it to Alex and gave one to the blonde to wipe her face while she folded the second one up and held it on to the back of Alex's neck.

"This will help to keep you from overheating," Olivia said softly.

"Thank you," Alex said. After cleaning up, she got up slowly to the sink. Olivia handed her a toothbrush with toothpaste with a knowing smile.

"Thanks," Alex said sheepishly. She brushed and rinsed with mouthwash, all the while, Olivia was still holding the cold cloth to the back of her neck. Afterwards, she turned to face Olivia and leaned back onto the counter.

"This is embarrassing," Alex said.

"It's okay. I've seen worse," Olivia said and smiled, trying to lighten the mood. Hearing the softness in Olivia's voice and the simple look of care and adoration on Olivia's face, Alex leaned towards the brunette again. Olivia lifted her free hand and cupped Alex's face.

"You should get some sleep," she said. Alex closed her eyes briefly and nodded, noting Olivia's deft maneuver to avoid any further intimacy.

Olivia took her to the bedroom where she pulled the covers down on the bed and sat the blonde down onto it. "I'm going to go put the face clothes away while you undress," Olivia said and left the bedroom. Alex peeled off her blue sequined spaghetti strap top and bra and jeans. She slid under the covers, laid on her side, pulled the blankets up and closed her eyes. Olivia returned with a bottle of water in one hand and a couple of aspirins and a note in the other. She set the bottle, pills and note down onto the night table and sat down on the edge of the bed.

Alex's eyes were closed and her breathing was even. Olivia reached out and tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"God you're beautiful," Olivia whispered, studying the woman on the bed. "I wish to hell I could just do straight girl happens with you."

Olivia fought the urge to lean down and kiss the blonde and forced herself to get up and go lie down on the couch. She found a blanket in the trunk at the end of the blonde's bed and went into the living room. She curled up on the couch and drifted off to sleep. A few hours later, she heard keys in the door and then the door opening and closing. Her years of being a cop trained her to be a light sleeper whenever she was sleeping in a new or strange place. When she opened her eyes, she could make out Niki coming into the apartment.

"Hey," Olivia said quietly.

"Christ!" Niki exclaimed in a whisper. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry," Olivia apologized, sitting up.

"And why are you sleeping out here?" Niki asked. "Shouldn't you be in there?" She pointed down the hall to Alex's room.

Olivia smiled and stood up. "She had a little bit too much to drink." She started to fold the blanket and placed it neatly on one end of the couch. "I'll head home now, since you're here and seem relatively sober."

"You really care about her don't you?" Niki asked, biting back her temptation to try to seduce the detective. *Don't fuck with a taken woman* she told herself.

"Goodnight, Niki," Olivia said with a smile and left the apartment.

Niki checked in on Alex before she went to bed. *Just how much did she drink?* she wondered to herself. She saw the bottle of water and two white pills on the night table. She picked up the note and read it. "Take the pills and plenty of water. You'll need it. -Liv" She smiled and shook her head.

As she left Alex's room, she sang softly to herself the last song she danced to that night and was so fitting for her cousin and the detective. "You got it, you got it, bad..."

------------------

Two weeks later

------------------

"Who's side are you on?" Elliot asked the blonde attorney.

"Mine," Alex replied. "You know the trial closure rate for sex crimes cases is four percent? Four percent. Now there are a lot of factors responsible for that, but I never expected the cop to be one of them."

"I did my job, Counselor," Elliot argued back, his voice raising. "Don't blame me if you didn't do yours. I stayed in that room and pushed him to the edge and you lost him on a technicality."

Olivia stood up to try to stop the argument between her partner and their ADA. Before she could get a word in edgewise, the Captain interrupted and diffused the situation with the help of Dr. Huang.

After the heated discussion, the two detectives and the attorney headed down from the crib to go pay a visit to the County Prosecutor's office in New Jersey for a search warrant for the home of Grace Mayberry. Elliot headed out first to get the car.

"Wanna tell me what that was all about up there?" Olivia asked, giving Alex a side glance.

"Your partner was being his usual stubborn ass self again," Alex replied.

"He's a good cop, Alex," Olivia said. "You and I both know that."

"So what, I'm supposed to kiss his ass?" Alex asked, her anger simmering. "And yours too? Is that what it takes?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Forget it, Olivia," Alex replied with resignation. It was pointless to revisit what had happened over two weeks ago. It was humiliating enough to have put it all on the line and kiss the detective in public, then to have had Olivia watch her get sick in the bathroom and then get rejected. Did she really want to get rejected once more? She got the hint.

Olivia wasn't interested in her. She was thankful for Olivia being on call for two weeks after the kiss, which meant no socializing and minimal contact, allowing her to swallow her pride and forget her feelings for the detective. However, that was easier said than done and she found herself burying her feelings but end up taking her frustrations out on Elliot because he was the closest target.

"I don't want to forget it, Alex," Olivia said, always being the persistent one. "Whatever's going on, I think it's affecting us and our relationship."

Before Alex could come up with a response, Elliot arrived with the car and off they went to convince the New Jersey Prosecutor's office to get them a search warrant.

---------

Olivia was tired and drained from having seen the bloodbath at the Mayberry residence. She had finally finished her paperwork. She leaned back in her chair and stretched out her arms above her head. "I need a shower, badly," Olivia said, hoping that somehow the gruesome details of the day's events could be washed off her and her memory. She knew that it was wishful thinking but it didn't stop her from doing it.

"So what's been up Cabot's ass?" Elliot asked her. "It's like she's been aiming her guns at me the last couple of weeks."

"I don't know," Olivia answered. "She won't tell me what's wrong."

"Did you sleep with her and not call her the next day?" Elliot teased his partner.

"Shut up, Elliot," Olivia said with annoyance. "I haven't slept with her. The closest we came was a kiss a couple of weeks ago, but she was drunk out of her tree."

"You think she was only interested in you because she was drunk?" Elliot asked, a look of surprise on his face. "This is awesome!"

"What is?" Olivia asked, confused.

"Me, the pig-headed male, gets to tell you how it is!" Elliot said, grinning, obviously proud of himself.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Cabot."

"What about her?"

"You don't know?"

"No, I don't know."

"She's got a thing for you."

"She does not have a thing for me."

"Yes she does...She goes out with you every week doesn't she?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean anything."

"She's interested in you."

"She's not interested. She's curious. I don't do curious. At least not with her."

"Why not?"

"Just drop it Elliot."

"Fine. But I'm willing to bet that she didn't just kiss you 'cause she was drunk. She kissed you because she wanted to. The alcohol just helped her along."

Olivia just looked at him, allowing his words to sink in.

"Come on, Liv. You might not be able to see it, but as much as Cabot hides it, I know she's very interested in you. She's going through all the symptoms I used to go through," Elliot said with a wink.

"Shut up," Olivia said, blushing.

"It's true," Elliot said. "I had a crush on you. But don't worry, I overcame that when you kicked my ass chasing the perp on our second case together. A bruised ego will override any crush any day."

"That's just 'cause you're a wussy."

"I thought you liked wussies," Elliot said and then added, "Wait, my mistake, you like pussies."

"Fuck you, Stabler," Olivia said smiling.

"I wish," Elliot retorted. "Or is it Cabot's wish?"

Olivia rolled her eyes at him.

"That's it isn't it?"

"What now?"

"She's pissed off 'cause you won't sleep with her, and so she's taking her bitchiness out on me!"

"You are so far off base."

"Am I?"

There was a pause. Olivia stood up and grabbed her wool coat off the back of her chair.

"Thanks, Elliot," Olivia said with sincerity.

"For what?"

"For being your pig-headed self."

"You owe me breakfast," Elliot called out to his partner who was already out in the hallway.

"Tomorrow!" she called back with a wave.

---------

Niki was putting the groceries away into Alex's fridge while the older Cabot was running from her bedroom, tying up the drawstring on her navy yoga pants and searching for the ringing cordless phone.

"Hello? Hello?" Alex answered the phone, pulling down the baby blue tank top she had just changed into.

"Hi there," The voice on the other end replied. "My name is Tim and I'm calling from the Thong of the Month club. Sign up now and we'll send you a specially featured thong each month from our extensive catalogue and all you have to do is provide us with your measurements and a photo of you modeling the thong - "

"You have got to be kidding me," Alex cut in. "Get the hell off my phone line!" She hung up the phone and got a questioning look from Niki. "Don't ask."

As she moved to help Niki with the rest of the groceries, there was a knock on the door.

"Christ, what now?!" Alex yelled out.

"Jesus, Alex" the younger Cabot scolded her cousin who was heading to the door. "You've been PMSing for like, two weeks now. Seriously, I think you need to go see a doctor. Either that or you need to get laid!"

Alex opened the door to find Detective Olivia Benson standing on the other side, clad in dark blue jeans, a black thin form fitting sweater and a tan colored three quarter length leather jacket. Her makeup was light, her lips were shining with a thin layer of lip gloss, and her hair was wet and looked like it had simply been towel dried. Alex thought she couldn't look sexier.

"Can I come in?" Olivia asked softly when Alex hadn't said anything for a few seconds.

"Um, sorry," Alex said, regaining her speech. "Yeah, come in." All efforts to squash her feelings for the brunette had dissipated. She wanted nothing more than to pull the detective into her apartment, push her against the wall and kiss her. *She's not interested* Alex reminded herself as she closed the door.

"Hey, Olivia," Niki said from the kitchen which was open to the living room and front foyer.

"Hi, Niki," Olivia said smiling.

"I'm gonna make myself scarce," Niki said. She came around the island counter, grabbed her jacket and slipped out the door.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Alex asked, moving into the kitchen to put some distance between her and the brunette.

"Water's fine," Olivia said, walking towards the island and folded her arms on top of the counter.

Alex went to the fridge and pulled out a water bottle. She poured the liquid into a glass and handed it to Olivia. The brunette reached out and took the glass, her fingers briefly covering Alex's fingers during the exchange.

"Please don't do that," Alex said quietly in a pleading tone as she withdrew her hand.

"Do what?" Olivia asked just as quietly.

"Make me feel like...," Alex began but then bit back her words. "I know nothing can happen between us, I'm learning to accept that. I just get confused when you..."

Olivia looked intently into Alex's eyes, waiting for the blonde to continue.

"When you look at me like that," Alex finished softly.

"Alex, I don't know what to say," Olivia said, putting her water glass down.

"It's okay," Alex said. "You already did. You can't do straight girl with me. I get it, Olivia, I'm not your type."

"Wait," Olivia said, holding up a finger and started to walk around the counter towards Alex. "You heard that? I thought you were drunk. You got sick."

"Yes, I was drinking and yes I did get sick," Alex agreed. "But I wasn't drunk."

"So when you kissed me..."

"I was very aware of what I was doing, yes," Alex finished for her. "Do we really have to relive it? Haven't I been humiliated enough?"

"I'd never do that to you, Alex," Olivia said, standing face to face with Alex. "Were you sober enough to remember me kissing you back?"

"I do," Alex said quietly. "That's why I've been confused. I thought you were interested, but then with what you said when you put me to bed, I thought that maybe you were just caught up in the moment when we kissed."

"God, no," Olivia said, shaking her head. "You cannot imagine how I felt when you kissed me, but when I tasted the alcohol on you, I thought that you were just acting on drunken lust."

"Like I said," Alex said, "I wasn't drunk."

"So then you'd remember that I said you're beautiful," Olivia used the same words and moved closer to the other woman. "And that I said "I wish to hell I could just do straight girl happens with you."

"I got it the first time, Liv," Alex said, her irritation rising. Why was Olivia rubbing it in? "You're not interested."

"Alex, I never said that," Olivia corrected the blonde. "I said that I wished to hell I could just do straight girl happens with you."

"Olivia, we're going around in circles," Alex said, her voice indicating her exasperation.

"Alex," Olivia said and took a step toward Alex so that their faces were inches apart. "The reason why I said what I said was because I know that I can't just sleep with you and walk away."

"I don't understand," Alex said, hearing Olivia's shallow breaths.

"I want more than just one night," Olivia said simply.

"I'm not going anywhere," Alex said and closed the gap between them. Their lips touched and Olivia immediately parted hers. She wrapped her arms around the blonde's waist and pulled their bodies together. Alex slid her hands underneath the leather jacket and ran her hands up and down the brunette's back as their tongues danced. Alex leaned into Olivia, forcing her to back up and use the island for support, their mouths never parting.

Olivia ran a hand into Alex's soft blonde hair while Alex slid her hands under her sweater. She felt the blonde's soft palms caress her skin and she reluctantly pulled her lips away from Alex's.

"Are you sure you want to do this and that you're not just curious?" Olivia asked breathlessly.

"I don't know what I am," Alex answered just as breathlessly. "And at the risk of sounding cheesy, all I know is that I want to take you to my bed and make love to you." And with that, Alex kissed Olivia again, and as they continued kissing. Alex stripped off the detective's leather jacket and backed her out of the kitchen and down the hall. They briefly made a stop in the hallway with Alex pressing Olivia against the wall. She positioned them so that her right leg was between Olivia's legs, and she ground her hips into the brunette. This elicited a throaty moan from the detective.

With legs entwined, hips gyrating and hands roaming under the hem of each other's shirts, Olivia came up for air just long enough to say "Alex. Bed. Now." Alex gave her a devilish smile and kissed her again, pulling her down the hallway to the master bedroom. Once they passed the threshold, Alex slid her hands under Olivia's sweater and slid it upwards. The brunette obliged and they broke away briefly to discard of the sweater. Alex immediately went to work on the buttons on Olivia's jeans as their mouths melded together once again, all the while moving backwards towards the bed. Once the buttons were undone, Alex slid a hand down the backside of Olivia's jeans. The detective was wearing a thong. She gave Olivia's ass a squeeze which brought out another moan from the brunette.

Olivia, feeling that Alex was now overdressed, slid her own hands under Alex's tank top and up her back. She caressed the blonde's soft skin and realized there was nothing underneath the skimpy top. Alex was braless. She too tugged the top up and again, they broke their kiss just long enough for Olivia to pull the item of clothing off the blonde. The sensation of warm skin on warm skin made both women shudder with arousal. Alex felt the edge of the bed against the back of her legs and reached around Olivia and unsnapped her black lacey bra which joined the previously shed items of clothing on the floor. The feeling of bare breasts pressed against bare breasts brought out a moan from both women.

Olivia broke away from kissing Alex's lips and started to nuzzle her neck. Slowly, she made her way down the blonde's neck, down her chest, and after gentle, slow nuzzling of the blonde's breasts, she finally brought her tongue to one areola, drawing lazy circles around Alex's nipple. When the teasing was becoming too much for both of them, she closed her lips around the nipple and alternated between sucking, licking and flicking. Alex had never felt so much arousal from nipple play before in her life and arched her back. With one arm around Alex's waist Olivia lowered the blonde back onto the bed, her mouth still teasing and playing with the blonde's breast. Once Alex was fully laying on the bed, Olivia turned her attention to the other breast, again, taking her time to taste and discover the different feelings and textures of Alex's obviously sensitive breasts.

Alex, thoroughly enjoying the sensations that the assault on her breasts were creating

inside of her, reached down and cupped one of Olivia's breasts in her hand. This brought the detective back up to her, and Alex began kissing her neck, her hand still on the detective's breast, her thumb occasionally rubbing over the erect nipple. The ministrations caused Olivia to whisper "Oh, God, Alex."

Alex couldn't help but smile. She'd only fantasized about hearing the other woman say those words before, but to hear them while said woman was lying half naked on her bed was an entirely different feeling altogether.

"I think we're still both overdressed for our own good," Alex said in between kisses on Olivia's neck.

"I agree," Olivia said and slid one hand behind Alex and under the waistband of her yoga pants. Her hand stopped and she looked into Alex's eyes. "You're not wearing underwear."

"It's about time you noticed," Alex said with a smirk, and with that, Olivia hooked her fingers into the waistband and pulled the pants down off the blonde. She discarded the pants onto the floor and slowly made her way up Alex's body, placing kisses along her lower legs, then her thighs, stealthy moving closer to the blonde's center. As she kissed Alex's inner thighs, she noted that the blonde was indeed a natural blonde, and waxed, save for the "airstrip". She slowly kissed her way closer and closer to Alex's center, but refrained from any contact just yet. Despite thinking she couldn't have possibly been turned on any more than she already was, she inhaled the scent of the woman beneath her and felt herself grow even wetter. She continued her kisses along Alex's lower abdomen, around her navel, up her stomach, a few licks and sucks on the blonde's nipples and then her neck.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again," Olivia whispered into Alex's ear in between sucks and nips of the blonde's ear lobe. "God, you're beautiful." Alex blushed.

"You have no idea how many times I've fantasized about doing this with you," Olivia continued. Alex captured the brunettes lips with her own and rolled Olivia onto her back.

"I've had a few fantasies of this myself," Alex said smiling. "But in my fantasies, you weren't wearing this much clothing." It was Alex's turn to kiss her way down Olivia's neck, and took one of Olivia's erect nipples into her mouth, her hand caressing the other breast and nipple. The textures and taste and feeling of flicking her tongue on Olivia's nipple was stirring the arousal that was continually building between her legs. She looked up at Olivia and said giddily, "I never thought I'd ever say this, but I love boobies!"

This brought out a laugh from the woman beneath her. Alex moved over Olivia's body and gave the other breast and nipple the same attention as the first one as Olivia ran her fingers through the blonde's hair. Alex reluctantly left Olivia's breast to kiss her way down the detective's flat and firm stomach, down to the unbuttoned jeans. Olivia lifted her hips and Alex slid the jeans off her legs, revealing the black lacy thong underneath.

"So this is what you're wearing while you're running around chasing the bad guys?" Alex asked with an arched eyebrow and a feral smile.

"Actually, this is what I wear when I hope a certain blonde ADA will undress me," Olivia said with a wink.

"You were that sure of yourself when you came over tonight?" Alex asked, still smiling.

"No, I wasn't that sure," Olivia admitted. "But a girl can hope can't she?"

"Indeed," Alex said and pulled on the waistband of the thong with her teeth while her hands reached under Olivia to help pull the small piece of lace off. As the lacy thong was peeled off, Alex's eyes widened at the magnificent sight before her. She tossed the thong onto the floor as well and looked up the length of Olivia's body. "Brazilian," Alex half stated, half asked.

Olivia peered down at the blonde who was now lying between her legs. "You like?" she asked with a hint of shyness.

Alex didn't respond verbally, instead, she dipped her head down and gave a slow and gentle lick up along Olivia's folds.

Olivia let out a loud moan, her eyes closing, her back beginning to arch. "I'll take that as a yes."

Alex continued to drag her tongue up over Olivia's clit and then continued her way all the way up her body and neck and then kissed her. Olivia could taste a hint of herself on Alex's tongue and felt her stomach tighten. "Alex, I need you inside me. Now," Olivia managed to breathe out.

They continued kissing as Alex ran her right hand down Olivia's body, with a side stop at the brunette's breasts, and then down lower between Olivia's legs. She cupped Olivia's sex in her hand, her fingers slowly rubbing and caressing the folds. Then, she slowly moved her middle finger in between the folds and felt Olivia's wetness instantly surround her finger. She slowly slid her finger to the opening and broke the kiss. She wanted to see Olivia's face and eyes when she entered her. "Look at me," Alex whispered to Olivia who slowly opened her eyes. Alex slowly entered the brunette and was in complete awe of the sensations that she felt. Olivia was soft, warm, wet and silky. She went in as far as she could go and stopped so she could enjoy the feeling of Olivia's flesh wrapped around her finger.

All Olivia could do was moan and pull Alex down to kiss her and explore her mouth as Alex's finger explored her sex. Olivia bent her right knee slightly, and since Alex was already straddling her right leg, the movement brought her thigh into contact with Alex's wetness. It was Alex's turn to moan as she felt the pressure against her clit.

She began to move her finger. She slowly slid it in and out of Olivia and sometimes alternated with curling her finger and rubbing Olivia's G-spot. All the while, she was grinding herself against Olivia's leg. As she felt Olivia's hips starting to move more, she increased the pace of her stroking and her own hip movements. Both women were feeling the tightening in their core. Alex was first to break the kiss as she felt Olivia's walls tighten around her finger. "Oh, god, Alex, don't stop!" Olivia called out. "Harder!"

With that, Alex slid her index finger inside along with the middle finger and continued to

stroke them in and out of Olivia, letting her ride out the orgasmic wave for as long as

possible, only to slow down when she felt Olivia's hip movements had slowed. When Olivia had caught her breath, she ran a hand through Alex's hair. "Oh, God," she breathed out.

"Actually, you can just call me Alex," the blonde said with a self satisfied grin.

Olivia gave a chuckle. "You're so full of yourself, you know that?"

"Well, given how wet my fingers are, I think I'm entitled to an inflated ego," Alex replied, holding up her index and middle fingers for Olivia to see.

"I'll show you what you're entitled to," Olivia said and rolled the blonde over onto her back.

She gave the blonde a crushing kissing and pulled Alex's right hand up to her face. She wrapped her mouth around Alex's two fingers which had just filled her and licked her own juices off of them. Alex was wide eyed with pure arousal. Olivia left random kisses along Alex's breasts and stomach and slid down to lay in between the blonde's legs. She hooked her left arm under Alex's right leg and reached her hand up to grasp Alex's hand.

The fingers intertwined and Olivia gave a soft and slow lick along Alex's folds. The blonde arched her back and brought her pussy up closer to Olivia's mouth. Olivia grinned up at Alex.

"Cunt tease," Alex said.

Olivia shook her head. "A cunt tease would've stopped after that," she said and smiled. She brought her right index finger to Alex's sex and slowly, softly ran it up and down along Alex's folds, each stroke, bringing her finger further in and closer to Alex's opening. Alex was dripping wet and so Olivia brought her tongue to replace her finger and started to lick up Alex's juices. The blonde responded with a moan and spread her legs further apart.

Olivia dipped her middle finger slowly into Alex's opening. Her finger went in almost effortlessly due to the blonde's state of arousal. "My, my," Olivia said. "Someone's plenty wet."

"I was right," Alex said, looking down at Olivia. "You are a tease."

Olivia gave her a smile and started to slide her finger in and out of her and started drawing circles around her clit with her tongue.

"Oh, God," Alex called out at the sensations Olivia was creating.

"Mmmhmm," Olivia hummed while her mouth and tongue were still on Alex's clit. Alex let out an even louder moan. Olivia curled her finger to rub Alex's g-spot and felt Alex moving her hips in rhythm with her finger. Alex reached her left hand down and ran it though Olivia's hair. Olivia slid her finger out of Alex and before the blonde could protest, the detective replaced her finger with her tongue. Alex let out another moan. Olivia moved her right arm under Alex's left leg and Alex brought her legs to rest on Olivia's shoulders. Olivia continued to penetrate Alex with her tongue and when she felt Alex was starting to come close to the edge, she'd stop the thrusting of her tongue and alternated between licking and sucking on Alex's clit and folds.

"Olivia," Alex called out. "Inside. Now."

Olivia obeyed and slid her tongue inside the blonde again. With three strokes of her tongue, Alex's orgasm exploded as her hips bucked against Olivia's mouth. When the blonde's movements subsided, Olivia withdrew her mouth and brought her hand up to wipe her mouth. Alex stopped her hand and motioned for her to come up to her. Olivia slid up Alex's body and Alex kissed her, her tongue licking and tasting herself on Olivia's lips and tongue.

They broke apart and Olivia rolled onto her back. Alex rolled over onto her side and laid half her length against Olivia's, her head on the brunette's shoulder. "That," Alex said, "was fucking amazing. No wonder you're the lesbian virgin surgeon."

"I hope this is my last virgin surgery," Olivia said looking at Alex, her eyes full of hope. When Alex smiled, she said "I'm sorry, sex makes my brain go all wonky and I say cheesy things!"

"I like it when you're cheesy," Alex said with a smile and kissed the brunette. "Do you want to stay the night?"

Olivia gave her a grin. "I'd love to."

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Three hours later

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Olivia looked over at the clock on the night table. "What the hell is taking her so long?" she wondered out loud. Alex had gone to the kitchen to get them something to drink but that was over five minutes ago. Getting a couple of beers or even wine glasses couldn't possibly have taken that long. Olivia flipped the covers off and pulled on her thong and Alex's tank top. She made her way down the hallway, calling out for the blonde.

"I'm in the kitchen," Alex called back.

Olivia came into the kitchen to find Alex standing by the island, her back towards her, the bed sheet wrapped around her body. Olivia came up behind her and snaked her arms around the blonde's waist.

"I thought you were just getting us something to drink," Olivia said looking over the blonde's shoulder. She was cutting up some fruit.

"I got hungry when I saw the fruit so I figured I'd just make us a quick snack too," Alex said, feeding Olivia a grape.

Olivia bit the grape in half and started kissing Alex's neck, running half of the grape along the blonde's skin. She felt a slight shudder go through Alex's body. She finished up the grape and started to suck on Alex's earlobe which caused the blonde to lose her concentration on the fruit. Olivia reached out and took the knife from out of Alex's hand and dropped it in the sink. She pushed the cutting board and fruit bowl aside and spun the blonde around to face her. She unwrapped the bed sheet from around Alex and laid it back onto the counter top and started kissing Alex, pressing their bodies together and against the counter. Alex raised a leg and Olivia used her position to lift the blonde onto the counter.

With Alex sitting naked on the island counter, Olivia, standing in between Alex's legs, began her oral assault on the blonde's breasts and nipples. Neither one heard the keys in the door or the door open.

"Oh, God!" Niki said at seeing her cousin's naked back and quickly turned away towards the coat closet. "Hi," Niki said, still facing the opposite direction of the other two women.

Alex was beet red with embarrassment as Olivia straightened up and pulled the bed sheet that was on the counter up and around Alex to cover her up. With her arms around the blonde, caressing her back, and Alex hiding her face in the crook of Olivia's neck, Olivia gave a grin when Niki slowly peered back at them.

"Hey, Niki," Olivia said, still grinning, mostly out of amusement over Alex's embarrassment. "Sorry about that."

Niki, now seeing that her cousin was covered up and that Olivia had a shirt on, came over and sat down on one of the barstools at the counter. "I can't believe you two are still at it!" she said, shaking her head.

"When did you ever sleep with a woman, not in a bar, and have it last under three hours?"

Olivia asked her, while Alex was still hiding her face from her younger cousin.

"That's why I gave you over three hours!" Niki retorted. "Is that fruit safe to eat?"

"Yes," Alex mumbled and finally turned to look at her cousin. "Sorry you had to see that."

"It's okay," Niki told her and picked up a strawberry from the fruit bowl. "I didn't see much, just your back. It was knowing what was going on that threw me off. Anyway, I'm gonna go into your den, close the door and watch some TV. You kids have fun."

After Niki left them, Alex fed Olivia a strawberry and hopped off the counter. She started to walk towards the hallway and let the bed sheet drop to the floor, displaying her bare backside to Olivia. "I hope that little incident didn't spoil your mood," she called out as she turned and disappeared around the corner. Olivia promptly chased after her.

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The next morning

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Olivia woke up to the ringing on her cell phone. She grabbed it off the night table.

"Benson," she answered. She looked over to Alex's side of the bed. It was empty.

"Hey, it's me," Elliot said from the other end of the line. "You want me to pick you up on my way in?"

"Um, no," Olivia said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"You're not at home are you?" Elliot asked and she swore she could hear him grinning.

"No," Olivia admitted. "I'll see you later. Bye." She hung up before he could tease her any further.

She went into the ensuite bathroom where she saw a new toothbrush, towel and face cloth neatly placed beside the sink which Alex had laid out for her. She couldn't help but smile.

She had a quick shower, brushed her teeth and pulled on her jeans and Alex's tank top from the previous night. She made her way into the kitchen and saw the back of the blonde standing in front of the open fridge, her head in the fridge looking for something.

Olivia came up to the blonde and wrapped her arms around the blonde, her hands giving the other woman's breasts a playful squeeze.

"You're hot, but I make it a rule to not sleep with taken women," the blonde said turning her head to look back at Olivia.

Olivia jumped back as if she had been electrocuted. "Shit, Niki," Olivia said holding her hands up as if to surrender. "I am so sorry."

"It's okay," Niki said with a look of pure amusement on her face and closed the fridge. "It's easy to mistake us."

"Fuck - I'm - shit!" Olivia stammered on, knowing she must've looked just as red as Alex did last night when Niki walked in on them.

"You're adorable when you blush," Niki said grinning her bright toothy grin. "I can see why Alex is in love with you."

"I'm so sorry," Olivia apologized again.

"It's okay, really," Niki said.

At that moment, Alex walked in carrying a cardboard drink tray with three cups of coffee and a paper bag filled with pastries.

"What's okay?" she asked the two women standing in her kitchen. The site of Olivia wearing her tank top was an instant turn on.

"I'll let you explain," Niki said with a wink. She grabbed a cup of coffee, a croissant from out of the bag and headed to the door. "Thanks, and I'll see you two later!"

After the door closed behind Niki, Alex turned to Olivia who was still blushing. Alex came over to the brunette and slid her arms around her waist. "So what was that all about, and why are you blushing?" she asked.

"I, um," Olivia began, too embarrassed to look Alex in the eye. "I came out here and Niki was at the fridge...she had her back to me and I thought she was you..."

Alex listened intently and waited for Olivia to continue but when Olivia's pause was longer than she expected, she started to process what Olivia had just told her. She broke out into a grin.

"You didn't," Alex said. Olivia nodded. "You groped Niki?" Alex was on the verge of laughing.

"I thought she was you!" Olivia tried to defend herself. Alex could not contain herself any longer and laughter spilled out from her lips.

"It's not funny!" Olivia said, pretending to pout. "It's embarrassing as hell!"

"Well, you thought my embarrassment was pretty funny last night," Alex said, her laughing subsided.

"True," Olivia admitted. "So you're not mad at me?"

"No," Alex said with a smile. "I'm not mad." She gave Olivia a kiss which quickly turned into a deep and heated kiss leaving them both breathless.

"Let's call in sick," Alex said with a sly smile.

"As much as I'd love to, you know we can't," Olivia said. "Besides, I owe Elliot breakfast. He convinced me to come over here last night."

"Well," Alex said. "In that case, I guess I owe him breakfast too, but not before I get to have my breakfast." She waggled her eyebrows.

"And what would you like for breakfast, ADA Cabot?" Olivia asked.

Alex grabbed onto the front of Olivia's jeans waistband and pulled her close. "You," the blonde said, her eyes growing dark. And with that, she pulled the detective with her down the hallway back to her bedroom.

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Fu

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End file.
